Orange Wins ACC Opener 14-13

Monday, February 23

6 pm

Syracuse University

4-0, 1-0ACC

Virginia

1-2, 0-1ACC

Virginia

Syracuse

Photo by: Michael J. Okoniewski

2/23/2015 9:57:00 PM | Women's Lacrosse

Box Score

Syracuse overcame an early three-goal deficit to stay undefeated this season.

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Junior Erica Bodt knocked down a long outlet pass on a Virginia clear to give the Syracuse women's lacrosse team possession with less than a minute remaining and secure the Orange's 14-13 victory against the No. 8/9 Cavaliers in the Carrier Dome on Wednesday, Feb. 23. Syracuse overcame an early three-goal deficit to win its ACC opener for the second consecutive year.

"It was a great game," said Syracuse head coach Gary Gait. "Virginia is a very good team. They've been tested early in the season already. They had that type of game experience. They showed they weren't going to give up and they weren't going to go away. I thought our players did well. It was a great first test for us against a top 10 opponent. We'll learn a lot from that. We're happy to come out of this game with a W."

The Orange (4-0, 1-0) led 8-5 at halftime, but the Cavaliers (1-2, 0-1) opened the second half with a 5-1 scoring run to tie the game at 9-9 with 21:57 remaining. Senior Devon Collins briefly halted the run when she scored off an assist from junior Halle Majorana off a restart, but Liza Blue answered for Virginia to again even things up at the 14:30 mark.

Junior Kayla Treanor helped the Orange regain a two-goal advantage when she found the back of the net three times in less than three minutes. Her first goal came off an assist from senior Kailah Kempney, which gave Syracuse the lead for good. Treanor scored again 23 seconds later when she got by her defender on the right side and put her shot past Virginia goalkeeper Rachel Vander Kolk. After Blue scored her third goal of the game, Treanor again found the back of the net when she faked high, faked low and then went high for her fifth goal of the game that gave Syracuse a 13-11 advantage with 10:50 on the clock.

Syracuse goalkeeper Kelsey Richardson made a save on Kelly Boyd's free position attempt to preserve the two-goal advantage and the Orange added to its lead when Collins scored on an assist from Majorana with 5:04 remaining. The Cavaliers wouldn't go away and scored two in a row to cut the deficit to one at 14-13 with 2:05 left in the game.

The Orange won the ensuing draw and tried to run the clock out, but a turnover gave the ball back to the Cavaliers with 46 seconds remaining. Vander Kolk brought the ball up the field, but her long pass over the middle was tipped by Bodt and junior Kelly Cross picked up the ground ball with 31 seconds remaining. After an SU timeout, Syracuse ran out the clock to secure the victory.

Virginia got off to a fast start, jumping out to a 4-1 lead. Junior Lisa Rogers found the back of the net at the 12:46 mark to spark the Orange on a 5-0 scoring run that gave SU a 6-4 lead. Treanor had two goals and an assist during the run. Bocklet scored to cut the lead to one, but Syracuse answered with two goals in the final 1:03 to take an 8-5 lead into the locker room at halftime.

Treanor led the Orange with seven points on five goals and two assists. Majorana finished with five points (1g, 4a), while Kempney had three points (1g, 2a). Kempney posted 12 draw controls, helping Syracuse to a 20-9 advantage in the circle. Boyd led Virginia with five points on four goals and an assist.

The Orange outshot the Cavaliers, 30-24, while Virginia picked up 15 ground balls to 12 for Syracuse. Richardson finished with 10 saves, marking the second straight game she has reached double figures in saves. Vander Kolk also posted 10 saves for the Cavaliers.

Syracuse is back in action Wednesday, Feb. 25 when it hosts Connecticut at 6 p.m. in the Carrier Dome.