Photo by: Michael J. Okoniewski
Cementing their Legacy: Syracuse Seniors Make Final Four an Expectation
5/20/2015 10:47:00 AM | Women's Lacrosse
Syracuse is one of just five programs to make four-straight final fours since the tournament's expansion in 1997
For the seniors on the Syracuse women's lacrosse team, making it to the final four isn't so much a goal as it is an expectation.
The class of 2015 hasn't disappointed, reaching Championship Weekend each season with the Orange, marking just the fifth program to accomplish the feat since the tournament expanded in 1997 and seventh program in women's lacrosse history to reach four-or-more straight Final Fours.
"Being there for four years, it's now an expectation," said senior defender Mallory Vehar. "It'd be a disappointment if we didn't make it and now it's not just exciting to be here, we're here to win a National Championship."
Syracuse has established itself as one of the nation's premiere programs in just a short amount of time. Having made it to the Final Four in 2008 for the first time, the Orange has played on Championship Weekend six times in eight seasons, with only Maryland and Northwestern – who have each made it seven times in that span, reaching the sport's pinnacle weekend more times.
"We expect ourselves to make it to there just because our program has grown so much in the last couple of years," said senior midfielder Kailah Kempney. "It's definitely an expectation that 'Cuse is always going to be there at the end of the season, along with teams like Maryland and North Carolina. It's just how it is. Those teams that can grind at the right time and we've pulled it together at the right time."
The impressive part about the 'Cuse run this season is that it wasn't predicted by those outside of the program. Syracuse fell as low as No. 9 in the IWLCA poll this season, its lowest rank since week one of the 2012 season, the year the final four streak began.
"We may expect to be in the final four every year but it's not something that we expect to be handed to us," said senior goaltender Kelsey Richardson. "We've worked hard for it and I think seeing the growth of our team this season, I think it's extra sweet for us to get to the Final Four this year. As a senior, I'm looking forward to getting there and showing the experience that we have in this type of environment."
Syracuse has been there before, now the team is looking for something more – the first National Championship not only in program history, but the first women's national title in Syracuse history.
"Coming into college it was a dream to get to the Final Four, then it was a dream to get to the championship game, now our dream is to win the National Championship," Kempney said.
To do so, 'Cuse will have to take down No. 1 Maryland on Friday at 7:30 p.m. to advance to the title game for the second year in a row and third time in four seasons, where it'd take on the winner of No. 2 North Carolina and No. 5 Duke.
But regardless of what happens this weekend, the senior class has cemented a winning legacy at the end of the season against the top competition.
"It means so much. We've been on so many different teams and you kind of grow up along the way, with each one meaning something different – as a freshman it means something different than as a senior," Vehar said. "Coming to our last one, people said it was a rebuilding year, but to do it for a fourth-straight time is so special."
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The class of 2015 hasn't disappointed, reaching Championship Weekend each season with the Orange, marking just the fifth program to accomplish the feat since the tournament expanded in 1997 and seventh program in women's lacrosse history to reach four-or-more straight Final Fours.
"Being there for four years, it's now an expectation," said senior defender Mallory Vehar. "It'd be a disappointment if we didn't make it and now it's not just exciting to be here, we're here to win a National Championship."
Syracuse has established itself as one of the nation's premiere programs in just a short amount of time. Having made it to the Final Four in 2008 for the first time, the Orange has played on Championship Weekend six times in eight seasons, with only Maryland and Northwestern – who have each made it seven times in that span, reaching the sport's pinnacle weekend more times.
"We expect ourselves to make it to there just because our program has grown so much in the last couple of years," said senior midfielder Kailah Kempney. "It's definitely an expectation that 'Cuse is always going to be there at the end of the season, along with teams like Maryland and North Carolina. It's just how it is. Those teams that can grind at the right time and we've pulled it together at the right time."
The impressive part about the 'Cuse run this season is that it wasn't predicted by those outside of the program. Syracuse fell as low as No. 9 in the IWLCA poll this season, its lowest rank since week one of the 2012 season, the year the final four streak began.
"We may expect to be in the final four every year but it's not something that we expect to be handed to us," said senior goaltender Kelsey Richardson. "We've worked hard for it and I think seeing the growth of our team this season, I think it's extra sweet for us to get to the Final Four this year. As a senior, I'm looking forward to getting there and showing the experience that we have in this type of environment."
Syracuse has been there before, now the team is looking for something more – the first National Championship not only in program history, but the first women's national title in Syracuse history.
"Coming into college it was a dream to get to the Final Four, then it was a dream to get to the championship game, now our dream is to win the National Championship," Kempney said.
To do so, 'Cuse will have to take down No. 1 Maryland on Friday at 7:30 p.m. to advance to the title game for the second year in a row and third time in four seasons, where it'd take on the winner of No. 2 North Carolina and No. 5 Duke.
But regardless of what happens this weekend, the senior class has cemented a winning legacy at the end of the season against the top competition.
"It means so much. We've been on so many different teams and you kind of grow up along the way, with each one meaning something different – as a freshman it means something different than as a senior," Vehar said. "Coming to our last one, people said it was a rebuilding year, but to do it for a fourth-straight time is so special."
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