Syracuse finds stability in backline trio of Magnotta, Bridges & Nixon
Six games into its 2025 campaign, Syracuse's new backline trio has become one of its most reliable defensive units in recent years. Courtesy of SU Athletics
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Before the 2025 season, Syracuse’s team captains, Shea Vanderbosch, Emma Klein and Ashley Rauch spoke over the phone almost daily. When the team reported to campus in late July, those conversations shifted to in-person, often joined by the coaching staff.
As the team’s anchors, Vanderbosch, Klein and Rauch focused on addressing last season’s shortcomings — the Orange went 6-10-2 and placed last in the Atlantic Coast Conference — while building on what already worked.
They emphasized pushing each other. They stressed the importance of culture. But the biggest theme of their discussions was new additions. How could the next generation mold Syracuse’s program into its best self?
Leading the pack were Natalie Magnotta, Bree Bridges and Jasmine Nixon. They weren’t just unknown but rather inexperienced. One freshman and two sophomores — who only played seven collegiate games before coming to SU — brought uncertainty. But six games into the season, they remain the only three newcomers in SU’s starting lineup. And they’ve fueled Syracuse to a 3-1-2 record while conceding just four goals.
“We knew we had a really good opportunity,” Klein said of SU’s new backline trio. “We knew this new formation was gonna be us.”
In the spring, SU’s three captains had already turned the page on its disappointing 2024 campaign. The Orange were 4-0-1 through five games, but their decline began once ACC play started. It’s a recurring scene. In 2021, Syracuse was 0-10-0 in conference play. A 1-5-3 record followed in 2022, with SU repeating at 0-9-1 in 2023 and 2024.
Rauch, Klein and Vanderbosch didn’t wallow, though. They, alongside SU’s returners, practiced at SU Soccer Stadium multiple times a week in the spring to “return (the program) to where it wanted to be,” Klein said.
Magnotta and Nixon also showed up.
Hailing from Berwyn, Pennsylvania, Magnotta stayed local by attending Penn State for her freshman year. Yet she watched from the bench as the Nittany Lions made the NCAA Tournament, appearing in zero contests.
Nixon moved from her hometown of Fort Mill, South Carolina, to Kentucky, where she logged just 121 minutes across seven games in 2024. Like Magnotta’s squad, the Wildcats made the NCAA Tournament, but Nixon didn’t see any postseason minutes.
When their campaigns concluded, both players were sold on SU. Nixon committed on Dec. 8, 2024, and Magnotta joined four days later. Their impact was instant. In the spring, Rauch worked with them on embodying the identity that they had to defend strongly, Klein said.
In July, Bridges joined them. The three quickly solidified themselves as SU’s starters, replacing Kylen Grant, Kate Murphy, Anna Croyle and Iba Oching from 2024 — when the Orange shifted between a 4-3-3, 4-1-4-1 and 4-4-1-1 formation.
They’ve taken Rauch’s message and amplified it.
Bree Bridges dribbles the ball downfield in one of Syracuse’s nonconference games. The freshman, alongside Natalie Magnotta and Jasmine Nixon, have surrendered just four goals through six games as SU’s new backline trio. Courtesy of SU Athletics
Vanderbosch is still a brick wall in Syracuse’s net. She’s recorded 309 saves across four seasons for the Orange, the epitome of consistency between the sticks. Magnotta, Bridges and Nixon have helped her post a career-high 0.846 save percentage this year.
It had been 341 days since the Orange’s last win when they faced Charleston Southern in their season opener on Aug. 15. But facing a mid-major program like the Buccaneers was the perfect chance for SU to rediscover its strengths.
From the outset, it was all Syracuse. Within 20 minutes, the Orange led 3-0. Seventeen minutes later, they were up by five. The offense stole the spotlight, but Magnotta, Bridges and Nixon limited CSU to zero shots on goal.
In the second half, SU’s attack wasn’t as prevalent. But defensively, it stayed locked in. Magnotta was given a rest while the other two defenders made their presence felt. They pushed midfielder Rachel Gopalakrishnan into a wide shot and forced two weak shots to backup goalkeeper Lilly Heaslet.
“Our distance between our lines defensively was really good,” SU head coach Nicky Thrasher Adams said following the victory. “I love the way we’re working on our rest defense and just making sure we’re organized when the ball’s in front of us.”
As competition escalated, little changed. Against Niagara, Bridges shined brightest. She recorded five shots, most of which came on headers off set-pieces. Nixon played a full 90 minutes for the first time in her college career, and Magnotta followed closely behind with 82.
Since its 2-1 loss to the Purple Eagles, Syracuse has trended upward. Against Canisius, Maya McDermott netted her first career goal. Kendyl Lauher, Mia Klammer and Julia Arbelaez added scores to secure the 4-0 victory.
But the Golden Griffins almost cut their deficit in the second half. They pinned six shots on Vanderbosch. Each time, SU’s backline was in position to aid her. Just two minutes into the frame, forward Mia Iacona was pressured into a try at Vanderbosch’s feet. Two similar shots followed, which were easily handled by the netminder.
“The three girls did really well. Between the four of them, they were really organized,” Canisius head coach Ryan Louis said.
That story has continued. On Aug. 24, Holy Cross forward Charlotte Hanchar intercepted a loose ball off Magnotta’s cleat. She sprinted past Nixon. But when Hanchar went hip-to-hip with Bridges, the freshman steered her out wide to make the block. Syracuse held on despite a late comeback attempt for a 3-1 win, earning its third victory in four matches.
Four days later, SU’s defense allowed just one goal in a draw with Quinnipiac. The Bobcats rifled three shots toward the net in the second half, but the backline only let one through.
And then the most recent chapter. Against the defending Ivy League champions in Princeton, the Tigers peppered the Orange with 31 shots. Magnotta, Bridges and Nixon still held Princeton scoreless for the first time since Sept. 18, 2024.
The Tigers were in command, though. They controlled possession for 61% of the first half, attempting 17 shots against the Orange, who hadn’t previously surrendered more than 10 in an entire game. Just 19 minutes into play, Magnotta ushered forward Nina Cantor to the byline, where she was forced to make a rugged cross over the middle.
In the second half, Bridges matched Cantor’s move, making her hesitate, which resulted in a weak shot. Vanderbosch patiently made the save.
Cantor wasn’t done, though. The freshman from Bryn Mawr — 20 minutes from Magnotta’s hometown — was wedged in between her and Bridges as she dribbled upfield. The limited space forced her into a left-footed boot, which Vanderbosch rose to bat away.
Vanderbosch finished with a season-high 10 saves, and while SU wasn’t victorious, Nixon, Magnotta and Bridges demonstrated their growth into a reliable defensive foundation.
Six games in, the backline trio has proven to be more than mere replacements for departed veterans. They’ve embodied the culture Vanderbosch, Klein and Rauch set out to instill during the preseason, giving Syracuse a defense to lean on for years to come.
