Syracuse eliminated from NCAA Tournament by late goal in 2-1 loss to Princeton
Despite tying the game up at one in the fourth quarter, Syracuse allowed a late goal to Princeton to end its season in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Courtesy of SU Athletics
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For a moment late in the third period, Syracuse was poised to make its first trip to the NCAA Tournament semifinals since 2015.
Aubrey Turner dribbled down the left flank and, on a tight angle, whipped a pass in front of Princeton’s goal. The ball deflected off Tigers goalie Olivia Caponiti and midfielder Saylor Milone before rolling into the net, giving Syracuse a 1-0 lead. After a scoreless first half, it was the breakthrough the Orange were looking for.
But it was quickly wiped out on the review when the goal was disallowed. Moments later, the Tigers flipped the momentum, scoring on a penalty corner with six seconds left in the period.
The disallowed goal proved to be costly as Syracuse (13-7, 3-5 Atlantic Coast) bowed out of the NCAA Tournament Sunday, falling 2-1 to Princeton (17-3, 6-1 Ivy) in the second round. After Turner’s tally was overturned, the Tigers scored two late goals in each of the final two periods to eliminate the Orange.
“The obvious statement here is you want to advance to a Final Four. That’s why we’re here,” SU head coach Lynn Farquhar said. “However, that’s a part of what sport is, and I couldn’t be more proud of our players group for coming together with the grit and the resilience they showed today and Friday.”
On Friday, Syracuse’s grit was the difference in its 3-2 upset win over Liberty in a penalty stroke-off. While the Orange were just as resilient on Sunday against the Tigers, it wasn’t enough against the No. 3 team in the nation.
Similar to when the two teams faced off on Sept. 12, with the Orange prevailing in a 1-0 overtime win, neither team was able to score in the first half. Syracuse’s lone shot attempt in the first period was one from Ally Snyder that missed wide.
The Tigers had more opportunities in the first half with four shots and two on goal, but none of them were able to get past SU goalkeeper Jessie Eiselin. After making five saves in the Orange’s win over Liberty on Friday, she had two saves in the first period alone.
Eiselin blocked a penalty corner shot from Princeton’s Beth Yeager before stopping an attempt from Pru Lindsey to keep the game scoreless.
Syracuse earned its first penalty corner of the game in the second period, but the Orange couldn’t capitalize as Caponiti denied Bo van Kempen for her first and only save of the game. The two sides traded possession as they headed into halftime scoreless.
Eiselin was again tested to begin the second half as Princeton’s offense threatened to score the opener. She denied Yeager’s initial shot before deflecting Ella Hampson’s shot away with her pad on the rebound with .
Syracuse responded with a string of passes into Tigers territory, but Turner’s shot was chipped high over the bar on her attempt from the left flank. The two sides continued to go back and forth. Princeton scored after dribbling into Syracuse’s defense, but it was ruled out for a foot foul.
Turner followed with her pass from the left flank that was deflected in, a goal that was overturned after a lengthy review. The Orange started to build offensive momentum leading up to Turner’s disallowed goal with sustained possession in Princeton’s final third, but the Tigers took control after Syracuse’s near-breakthrough.
Princeton had another chance on goal blocked by Eiselin, kicking the ball out of danger before a diving save. Danique Schuurman blocked an attempt on the rebound, but the Tigers earned a corner, and with six seconds left, Princeton finally scored the first goal of the game.
Yeager found Lindsey in open space, who made a diving play on the ball after the insert, nodding it home for the Tigers and giving them a 1-0 lead.
“There’s only so much you can do, right?” Farquhar said. “Our defensive unit was solid. Corners are a component of the game, and they were nice finishes.”
Syracuse entered desperation mode heading into the fourth period, unable to find a way through Princeton’s defense. Hattie Madden couldn’t connect on a pass from her sister Bo as the Orange tried to ramp up the pressure offensively. With time winding down, Syracuse pulled Eiselin to add an extra attacker on the field.
The move worked, as the Orange drew a penalty corner with four minutes to play. On the insert, Pati Strunk delivered a pass right to Liz Stange, who laid it down for van Kempen. As she had so many times this season, the graduate student stepped up in the biggest moment for the Orange, rifling the ball into the bottom left corner to tie the game at one.
“There was never a moment where this team stopped competing and playing hard,” Farquhar said. “From the defensive unit, starting in our back line, to the defensive unit to our front line with the press, we played as one. I’m so proud of the team for doing that.”
Eiselin re-entered for the Orange after van Kempen’s goal, and the Tigers again put pressure on the Syracuse goalkeeper. Moments after she returned, Princeton had an opportunity to counter, but missed high and wide right. Keeping the ball in Syracuse’s half, the Tigers earned a penalty corner with two minutes left to play.
On the insert, Yeager delivered a powerful strike into the top left corner, deflecting off Eiselin’s pads into the back of the net to give Princeton a 2-1 lead.
With less than two minutes left, there was no time for late-game magic from Syracuse. The clock hit zero, officially eliminating the Orange from the NCAA Tournament. In just 20 minutes, Syracuse’s hopes of making the Final Four were gone, replaced by another exit in the first weekend of the tournament.
Despite the loss, Farquhar said she was proud of her team’s fight. The Orange finished the year with an identical record to last year at 13-7, and will look to freshmen like Turner and Snyder to replace the production of those leaving, like van Kempen.
“I’m proud of the team. We fought hard. It was a great season,” Farquhar said. “It’s a special unit, and it’s something that nobody can ever take away from them.”
