Student Press Freedom Day is a reminder of the vital role student journalists play in holding institutions accountable. The money raised between now and March 6 will go directly toward supporting our independent newsroom. Donate today.

All Syracuse needed to do to find a rhythm was escape its early-season gauntlet.

After starting the campaign with narrow losses to then-No. 7 Maryland, then-No. 1 North Carolina and then-No. 3 Stanford, SU has quickly found its footing. The Orange downed Loyola on Feb. 24 before securing conference wins over Louisville and Cal to even their record at 3-3.

Sure, Syracuse has dealt with growing pains so far. But with an unforgiving schedule, that was expected under first-year head coach Regy Thorpe.

On Friday, SU continued to wash those growing pains away. Behind a stellar defensive showing and seven different goal scorers, it made quick work of Virginia Tech.

Here are some observations from No. 14 Syracuse’s (4-3, 3-2 Atlantic Coast) 13-3 win over Virginia Tech (4-4, 1-3 ACC):

First-quarter statement

In Syracuse’s 13-3 thrashing of Cal Tuesday, the Orange mainly hit their stride in the second quarter, scoring seven goals. SU led 3-1 after the first quarter but truly took off in the second.

On Friday, Syracuse made an immediate statement. SU scored three goals in the game’s first three minutes en route to a 4-1 lead after the quarter. Emma Muchnick kicked off the scoring before Molly Guzik continued her dominance with two goals in a 56-second span.

Even though VT cut Syracuse’s lead to 3-1, it didn’t take long for Caroline Trinkaus to respond and put the Orange up by three.

It wasn’t just a dominant offensive effort by SU. Led by Coco Vandiver and Izzy Lahah, Syracuse’s defense swarmed the Hokies and allowed few shots on goal. Whenever VT raced down the field in transition, a turnover or errant shot ensued.

SU’s defense has been excellent on opponents’ power plays this year, and Friday’s first quarter was no different. After VT was awarded a free-position shot, the Orange stifled Virginia Tech’s attack and killed the penalty.

It may not have totally showed up on the scoreboard after the opening minutes, but Syracuse thoroughly controlled the entire first quarter. The hot start paid major dividends, fueling the Orange’s win.

Stifling defense

Other than allowing North Carolina’s Chloe Humphrey to record a hat trick on Feb. 13, Syracuse’s defense has been stellar to start the season. Even in losses to Maryland and Stanford, SU held its opponents under 10 goals.

Against Louisville on Feb. 28, the Orange caused 19 turnovers in their 13-10 win. It wasn’t just a season-high, but the most they forced since 2019.

In its win over Cal Tuesday, the Orange allowed just seven shots. Goalie Daniella Guyette was rarely tested, and SU rode a cohesive defensive effort to victory.

SU’s defensive dominance continued Friday. After holding the Hokies to just one goal in the first period, Syracuse suffocated the Hokies in the second, keeping them scoreless en route to an 8-1 halftime advantage.

On a VT power play early in the second period, Mackenzie Borbi picked up a ground ball and raced the other way after deflecting a pass from Pozzi. While Pozzi has been superb in 2026 with 12 goals, Syracuse silenced her early on Friday.

Virginia Tech couldn’t get into an offensive flow. Not only did it record just four shots in the first half, but it looked hesitant to move the ball upfield. Even on its player-up advantage in the waning minutes of the first half, it couldn’t generate any quality looks on goal.

The Orange’s suffocating defense didn’t let up in the second half. Guyette made timely saves, while Vandiver and Lahah continued making a fool of VT’s porous attack.

Guzik’s dominance

Guzik showed significant promise offensively as a freshman last season. She notched 14 goals and added five assists, helping the Orange to an NCAA Tournament Second Round appearance.

But through six games in 2026, she’s upped her game to a new level. Her 14 goals entering Friday led the team, and she scored four times on six shots against Louisville.

With SU’s sideline chanting “Molly,” Guzik turned in another masterclass from the get-go Friday. After scoring twice in less than a minute to start, she tacked on two more goals to help the Orange build their lead in the first half.

She scored from the left, right and even around the back. Whatever the Hokies did to limit her clearly didn’t work. Guzik’s ability to navigate different goal angles has been paramount to SU’s three-game win streak, and that didn’t change Friday.

Even though she didn’t tally any assists, she facilitated plenty of scoring opportunities. Guzik displayed strong field vision all game, allowing Syracuse’s offense to spread the ball around with little VT pressure.

Spreading the wealth

While Guzik has certainly stood out among the rest, Syracuse’s offense has been balanced this season. Eight players have at least four goals, and 15 have at least one.

SU’s offensive depth was extremely evident Tuesday against Cal, where 11 different players scored. Mackenzie Rich paced SU with a hat trick, but 10 others scored once.

Syracuse continued spreading the wealth Friday. It had seven different goal scorers, while four recorded multiple goals.

Despite a slow start to the year for her standards, Muchnick scored twice against the Hokies, weaving through multiple defenders the second time. She looked calm, cool and collected all game, controlling the offensive pace in the win.

Ashlee Volpe also chipped in two goals, using her speed to outrace Virginia Tech defenders. Volpe also added two assists on two of Guzik’s three goals. Caroline Trinkaus and Alexa Vogelman also contributed for the Orange with a goal each before SU emptied its bench late in the fourth quarter.

The Orange’s offense was stymied against the top-3 teams in the country. It scored just five goals against Maryland and six against Stanford, indicating it may not be among the NCAA’s cream of the crop yet.

But if Tuesday and Friday’s wins were any signal, SU’s depth is quite strong.

Published on March 6, 2026 at 7:19 pm
Contact Spencer: sabrod@syr.edu | @spencerbrod20