Syracuse women’s soccer remains unbeaten with 1-0 victory at Northwestern
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Nyamma Nelson crowded around Abby Incorvaia with 39 seconds remaining Thursday, trying to get inside her head in a moment that would define a game seemingly destined for a scoreless draw. It all hinged on the Syracuse midfielder.
Nelson, Northwestern’s goalkeeper, lingered, saying anything she could to throw Incorvaia off. When the referee motioned for her to back away, Nelson retreated toward her line, clapping and bouncing up and down, awaiting Incorvaia’s kick.
Incorvaia barely reacted. She stood calmly at the penalty spot, the ball tucked under her right arm against her side, with Syracuse’s first road win this season 12 yards away. When the whistle came, Incorvaia took her approach and sent the ball into the top left corner. Nelson guessed correctly, but the ball sailed past her into the net.
Incorvaia’s late heroics gave Syracuse (2-0-1, 0-0-0 Atlantic Coast) a 1-0 win in its lone August road match over Northwestern (0-2-0, 0-0-0 Big Ten) Thursday to remain unbeaten. The two sides combined for just five shots on goal, and the Wildcats garnered several chances with five corners to SU’s zero. But SU’s third shot of the day, with 39 seconds remaining, was ultimately most decisive.
It was Incorvaia’s first-career goal, and there was no better time on a night when SU spent most of its time defending. Northwestern controlled possession for long stretches, especially in the second half, but the Orange repeatedly collapsed around the ball in the box and prevented the Wildcats from turning pressure into goals.
Syracuse goalkeeper Maya Naimoli was at the center of that effort. The Youngstown State transfer made several important claims, repeatedly coming off her line to intercept dangerous balls before Northwestern turned them into shots. In the 51st minute, a high-bouncing ball dropped loose in the middle of the box, but Naimoli raced out and gathered it before a Northwestern attacker could reach it.
Her biggest moment came in the 66th minute. Megan Norkett spun free of Syracuse’s defense in the middle of the box and ripped a shot on target, forcing Naimoli to dive for the save. It was Northwestern’s best opportunity Thursday and one of several instances when it appeared close to breaking through.
The Orange abandoned the 3-5-2 formation with four defenders for the first time this season, with Chloe Joseph, Jasmine Nixon, Bree Bridges and Kendall Mesh forming the backline. The 4-5-1 shift gave Syracuse another body behind the ball as Northwestern constantly pushed into its defensive third.
Northwestern’s pressure nearly paid off in the opening half. Just past the 15-minute mark, Naomi Lofthouse received the ball after a one-two feed down the left side before crossing toward Keira Wagner in the box. Wagner couldn’t make solid contact, and the sequence also prompted a video review for a possible Nixon penalty. The call was reviewed with no penalty awarded.
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Syracuse women’s soccer has used set pieces to remain undefeated
Syracuse women’s soccer used set pieces to garner a win and a draw through two games. SU’s eight corner kicks in a scoreless draw with Villanova Thursday set the stage for its two set-piece goals in Sunday’s win over Holy Cross.
The Wildcats continued finding dangerous positions. In the 31st minute, Kennedy Roesch got behind the Syracuse defense right of the box, but Nixon tracked her closely, gatekeeping her from a clean shot.
Two minutes later, Alex Fallon found more room inside the box, but once again, Nixon forced her right. Fallon’s low shot went directly to Naimoli. Northwestern entered halftime leading 5-3 in shots, and its control persisted after the break.
Meanwhile, Syracuse struggled to sustain possession in the attacking half. It didn’t register a shot in the opening 20 minutes of the second half, while Roesch and Norkett continued creating opportunities.
Roesch had two second-half chances, including a 63rd-minute shot into the left-side netting and another that sailed over the crossbar. But Syracuse’s new defensive structure consistently made Northwestern rush.
Syracuse’s life arrived late. Lauren Christy, a substitute, became the Orange’s primary offensive source. She recorded Syracuse’s first second-half shot in the 72nd minute, sending a low attempt from outside the box directly at Nelson. Five minutes later, Christy tried again from left of the box, but her shot sailed high and left.
In the final minute, her last chance was blocked. The ball struck defender Olivia Elliott’s hand, prompting Syracuse’s Nicky Thrasher Adams to challenge for a penalty. After a lengthy review, the call went SU’s way.
Incorvaia took the ball. She’d spent much of the night in the midfield after moving back from forward, where she started in Syracuse’s 3-1 win over Holy Cross Sunday. Northwestern, coming off an NCAA Tournament appearance, had entered its home opener unbeaten in its previous four, going 3-0-1 during that span.
With the game still scoreless and less than a minute remaining, she had the chance to decide it. Thirty-nine seconds, though 19 additional seconds were later added to the clock, would be too little for Northwestern to avenge, so Incorvaia had to make it pay. She swung for the fences to claim the lead.
Syracuse needed to be perfect with 90 minutes of defending. It needed a goalkeeper who repeatedly stepped into danger. When Incorvaia was rewarded one final chance, she made sure it was enough.
