Syracuse women’s soccer opens season with 0-0 draw vs. Villanova
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Nicky Thrasher Adams spotted her newest prodigy.
Her bangs pushed into a slickback, sturdied with a thin ponytail holder. She stands behind her captains as the starting lineup marches onto the field. She cracks a smile and jogs to her cage.
She dons a grey kit that would typically seem dormant on a green-striped field. But the uniform sticks out like a sore thumb, brighter than her 10 teammates in orange racing ahead.
Her new role is so coveted that being half of what came before her would suffice.
In Thursday’s final minute, as Dez Zapata received a pass a couple yards left of an open net with a chance at a game-winning goal, out jumped Thrasher Adams’ vision. It wasn’t Shea Vanderbosch, SU’s all-time saves leader, who’d occupied that net for the previous four years. Instead, it was Maya Naimoli, the Youngstown State transfer, who stretched out her left leg to make an impeccable kick save.
Naimoli recorded four second-half saves, helping Syracuse (0-0-1, 0-0-0 Atlantic Coast) to a season-opening scoreless draw versus Villanova (0-0-1, 0-0-0 Big East) Thursday. Two of them came in the final five minutes, halting a Wildcats offense that had already threatened before being called offside. Julia Arbelaez, meanwhile, mustered the Orange’s lone two shots on goal.
It became clear over the last week that Naimoli might be in this position when she posted clean sheets in SU’s two exhibition games. Maybe it was decided far before, when she signed with Syracuse on May 5.
Nonetheless, it was a four-way competition that also featured Jamesville-DeWitt alum Lindsay Parker, last year’s backup Lilly Heaslet and Houston transfer Maggie Manning. If Thursday proved anything, Naimoli was best suited.
The junior didn’t nab her first save until the second half because the Orange dominated possession early on. Arbelaez, who started the first game of her two-year career Thursday, pinned a high shot off a perfectly placed Emery Streets cross two minutes in.
Streets was deemed offside on a tantalizing sixth-minute run, and Anna Croyle laced an eighth-minute header wide. SU’s seven first-half corners were inspiring, considering it averaged 4.5 attempts — the third-lowest mark in the ACC — last season.
About nine minutes in, Arbelaez ripped a lefty bullet toward Villanova goalie Hannah Dickinson for the game’s first save. Croyle sent a ball deep into the box that found UConn transfer Farrah Stephens-Martin for Syracuse’s best chance yet halfway through the frame. But a slight whiff terminated the opportunity.
The Wildcats responded in the back end, but Jasmine Nixon cleared two dangerous crosses.
“If they’re going to keep three up top, we’ve got to be able to find our width and break lengths and play through,” Thrasher Adams said at halftime.
Thrasher Adams’ concern wasn’t problematic in the opening 45 minutes, as the Wildcats didn’t notch a shot on goal. It seemed bound to sting the Orange by keeping three defenders back, as opposed to a traditional four-defender formation.
In the 53rd minute, Villanova’s Ryley Dixon stood askance. Zapata worked the right wing and sent a flying cross toward Dixon. Naimoli got a hand on her shot, but the ball rolled back to Dixon to seemingly secure a 1-0 Wildcats lead.
It was called back when Amalia Cardo was determined offside, touching the ball with no defender in front of her.
In a dormant offensive second half, Arbelaez remained the spark. Eleven minutes into second-half action, Croyle was tackled by Kaydee Amorosa. The ball trickled to Arbelaez on the right flank, but her opportune strike was stymied.
With under 29 minutes remaining, Arbelaez took another right-wing shot, which Miller blocked with her chest. SU’s best late chance came in the 66th minute. Clearing a corner off its own six-yard line, Stephens-Martin bolted downfield for a one-on-one opportunity, but she botched her dribble.
With no more offense in the tank, Syracuse put all its faith in Naimoli, in her first-ever SU start, to prevail. Moments after she stopped a Morgan Kotch header, Villanova challenged for a penalty kick with 12 minutes remaining.
Zapata had dropped to the ground in the box, but it was deemed a slip. Villanova head coach Samar Azem searched for another four minutes later with a foiled challenge.
Vanderbosch suddenly returned. With five and a half minutes left, Naimoli got low to stop Kotch’s second straight shot on goal, which ricocheted off her knee. After Naimoli wrapped up a cross with a minute and a half left, the Wildcats had one final possession.
In came Avrie Nelsen, working the right side. The ball sails through the legs of two SU defenders.
It’s poetic. Naimoli against Zapata, who hoisted their squads on their back all game.
The forward boots it onto Naimoli’s left leg, and the ball deflects to the left, nearly clipping the post and trickling safely out of play.
It’s a foreign concept for Thrasher Adams to coach without Vanderbosch, who’s been the ACC saves leader for three straight seasons. But on Thursday, Naimoli showed glimpses of SU’s former keeper.
With her slickback intact and sweat dripping down her face, Naimoli removes her gloves and embraces her teammates. Syracuse’s goalie lineage remains unbroken.
