Preview of Thorpe’s 1st game, No. 11 SU’s season opener vs. No. 7 Maryland
No. 11 Syracuse opens its season and the Regy Thorpe era Friday against No. 7 Maryland in the JMA Wireless Dome. Leonardo Eriman | Senior Staff Photographer
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On Friday, a new chapter of Syracuse women’s lacrosse begins.
First-year head coach Regy Thorpe will roam the same sidelines he paced as a player from 1992-93 and an assistant from 2010-19. Former Orange attack Emma Ward — who ran out of eligibility — won’t suit up for the first time since 2020, and her co-star Olivia Adamson will play at Northwestern after transferring in July.
There’s no better opponent to ring in the new era with than a formidable Maryland squad. Aside from Chrissy Thomas, most of the Terrapins’ core returns.
Here’s everything to know about No. 7 Maryland (0-0, Big Ten) before No. 11 Syracuse’s (0-0, Atlantic Coast) season opener Friday in the JMA Wireless Dome:
All-time series
Maryland leads 21-3.
Last time they played
On Feb. 15, 2025, then-No. 6 Syracuse marched into College Park and grabbed a 15-9 win over the then-No. 7 Terrapins, its first top-10 victory of the season. Ward and Adamson delivered with 12 combined points — seven goals, five assists — while freshman attack Caroline Trinkaus notched her first hat trick.
Goalie Daniella Guyette made 11 saves in her second-career start, and defender Kaci Benoit caused three turnovers and picked up three ground balls. Seven players scored for the Orange, yet SU struggled to contain Maryland’s Kori Edmondson, who tied Adamson for a game-high four goals.
The win pushed Syracuse to 2-0, while Maryland dropped to 0-1. After the victory, the Orange lost three of their next four games, drawing uncertainty about how they’d handle their nine remaining ranked matchups.
The Terrapins report
Entering head coach Cathy Reese’s 19th year, Maryland has grown accustomed to winning. The Terrapins haven’t missed the NCAA Tournament since Reese took over, and have collected five national titles in her tenure. There’s no reason to believe they’ll slow down.
UMD’s biggest asset, Edmondson, returns in 2026 for her senior season after a career year in 2025. She won Big Ten Midfielder of the Year, was a USA Lacrosse and Inside Lacrosse First Team All-American and was named a Tewaaraton Award finalist. Paired next to sophomore midfielder Kayla Gilmore, the two will power its high-flying offense.
Gilmore and Edmondson will also handle duties in the draw circle after leading the Terrapins with 93 and 70 draw controls last season. Defensively, Maryland’s responsibilities lie with Neve O’Ferrall, who anchored the unit in 2025 with 25 caused turnovers and 34 ground balls.
The Terrapins introduce 10 freshmen, with attack Ava Meyn their lone five-star. She could take on a significant role in the offense as the nation’s No. 7 overall recruit, per Inside Lacrosse. Four-star Lyla Ingrilli could help relieve O’Ferrall on the defensive end.
How Syracuse beats Maryland
An SU win starts with Edmondson. The fourth-best player in Division I, per Inside Lacrosse, is Maryland’s lone wolf, and silencing her is key to propelling Syracuse to a 1-0 start. Edmondson has dismantled the Orange’s defense in the past, though, recording two hat tricks in three games.
If Syracuse does stop Edmondson, it’ll likely be thanks to Benoit and Coco Vandiver. Maryland’s midfielder led the Terrapins with 30 turnovers last season, and Vandiver, who ranked 13th in the country with 40 caused turnovers, will assume a larger role in her senior year.
The root cause of UMD’s NCAA Tournament exit last season was giveaways. Maryland gave the ball up a season-high 24 times, far from the goal Reese set in March of fewer than 10 turnovers per game.
These objectives go hand in hand, and if Syracuse executes, it’ll leave the Dome with a win.
Stat to know: 93
Among the questions SU must answer this season, none is more uncertain than who will emerge in the draw circle. The Orange’s main draw specialist last season, Meghan Rode (75 draw wins), transferred to Richmond, while Adamson, Sam DeVito and Superia Clark — who all won a draw at some point in 2025 — went their separate ways.
The lost production totaled 93 of SU’s 240 draws. Returners Joely Caramelli and Alexa Vogelman combined for 70 draw wins, and Molly Guzik and Courtney Maclay took draws in Syracuse’s exhibition victory. Mackenzie Borbi, Ireland Mistretta and Ella Peers also gathered 170-plus draws in high school.
Syracuse has plenty of routes to take, but whoever steps up Friday could be the Orange’s go-to for the rest of the season.
Player to watch: Kori Edmondson, midfielder, No. 14
As if Edmondson hasn’t been mentioned enough. She’s progressively improved since her first season in 2023 and is no stranger to pressure, serving as Maryland’s No. 1 or No. 2 option each year. Now, in her fourth year, Edmondson has a real shot at competing with UNC’s Chloe Humphrey or Northwestern’s Madison Taylor for the Tewaaraton Award.
Edmondson is a McDonogh High School (Maryland) graduate, where she lined up against some of the nation’s top defenders, including Vandiver. It’s boosted her success in her college career, as she can score, win draws or scoop up ground balls.
How Edmondson performs Friday will greatly impact the Orange’s scheme. They’ll have all hands on deck to stop her from running rogue.
DISCLAIMER: Courtney Maclay is a contributing writer for The Daily Orange. She did not influence the editorial content of this article.
