Bo van Kempen’s statistical dominance key to SU’s regular-season success
Bo van Kempen currently leads SU in nearly every offensive statistic in her graduate season at Syracuse, helping it to a strong regular season. Isaac Williams | Contributing Photographer
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Bo van Kempen calmed herself while her teammates refused to stay quiet after winning a decisive corner against then-No. 2 UNC. Amid the commotion, she visualized precisely what she wanted to do.
Pati Strunk’s insert found Lana Hamilton at the top of the arc. With Hamilton’s trap right in front of her, van Kempen dragged the ball across the turf before a flick of her stick drilled it in the bottom left corner of the net. Van Kempen’s 19th goal of the season leveled SU 1-1 with the current No. 1 team in the nation.
It’s a routine SU’s short corner unit has executed 22 times this season, with van Kempen — who’s scored 14 of her 19 goals on attacking penalty corners — serving as the converter.
Van Kempen’s impact on Syracuse (10-4, 2-4 Atlantic Coast) goes beyond that. She leads the team in all major attacking and defensive statistics, including points (41) and shots on goal (43), while her 19 goals not only pace the Orange but rank second nationally. She’s logged 40% of SU’s defensive saves and acts as the heartbeat of SU’s backline, totaling 753 of the 864 possible minutes this season.
“One of our words at the beginning (of the season) was work rate,” Syracuse head coach Lynn Farquhar said on Aug. 29, after van Kempen scored six goals versus Lock Haven. “Our second was clinical. (Van Kempen) demonstrates that.”
Penalty corner goals are van Kempen’s bread and butter. She’s the Orange’s only player in the nation’s top 50 in goals. Since van Kempen arrived from the Netherlands last year, she’s had a habit of scoring in decisive moments.
This season alone, she tallied three game-winning goals against Rutgers, Princeton and Duke, along with an equalizer in the 59th minute against Penn State that sparked a two-goal comeback.
“I really like to perform under pressure,” van Kempen said last year about her mindset. “I think the team has a lot of confidence in me. I finish it, game after game.”
Van Kempen and the penalty corner unit have been so dominant that, before Syracuse played its last regular-season home game against the Tar Heels, nearly every one of its goals in ACC play stemmed from penalty corners, leaving Farquhar looking for other ways to diversify SU’s scoring.
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Although her other offensive contributions are less visible than her short corners, van Kempen’s presence in the backline may be even more critical.
“(Our defenders) don’t just defend,” Farquhar said after beating then-No. 7 Duke on Sept. 26. “The defenders are the first line of our attack.”
Slotting in as Syracuse’s anchor in either a three- or four-back formation, nearly every play begins with van Kempen. She frequently cycles possession around the backline before looking for an opening in the midfield.
“Our success comes from our backfield being able to read the pressure and move the ball.” Farquhar said. “Whether it’s a high pressing team or a team that settles in, I’m glad they’re able to read the difference and let the ball do the work.”
However, if the team’s on- and off-ball movement isn’t successful in opening a gap in opponents’ defense, Farquhar has van Kempen take a more direct approach. Hattie Madden said that comes via long passes, which van Kempen can heave across the entire pitch.
That’s happened multiple times this year, eliminating the opposing midfield from creating attacking chances. Those chances typically lead to penalty corners, which are almost second-nature for van Kempen to score.
Despite her offensive highlights this season, her most defining moment of 2025 was in front of her own net, rather than her opponent’s.
A defensive save is one of the most vital contributions a center back can make. It’s when a goalie’s been beaten and a defender makes a last-second stop to deny a goal. The Orange have only had five defensive saves all year.
In the fourth period of SU’s battle with Stanford on Oct. 10, van Kempen had a chance to add one to its running tally. She found herself defending a penalty corner with just nine minutes left while the Orange narrowly held a 2-1 lead. Cardinal defender Mia Clark, who’d scored Stanford’s lone goal, ripped a slapshot toward the top right corner of the net.
SU goalkeeper Tane King could only watch as the ball flew past her. It looked to be a late equalizer for Stanford. But van Kempen stayed by her teammate’s side, guarding the far post. Without hesitation, she blocked the attempt with the head of her stick before knocking the ball out of play.
The save was one of several occasions where van Kempen breathed life into a nail-biting SU team. She’s Syracuse’s foundation on both sides of the ball, setting it up for a potential NCAA Tournament run.
