Syracuse University
Connecticut
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Field Hockey Captures BIG EAST Regular-Season Title
10/28/2001 5:12:11 PM | Field Hockey
The No. 18-ranked Syracuse field hockey team defeated Connecticut, 4-1, at Coyne Field to win its first BIG EAST regular-season championship since 1995. It is the first time the Orangewomen have ever posted a perfect 5-0 record in league play and it marked SU's first victory against the Huskies since 1995.
Syracuse (13-3, 5-0 BIG EAST) jumped out to a 3-0 halftime lead after out-shooting the Huskies, 10-3, in the opening period. Junior midfielder Kristin Aronowicz (Exton, Pa./Downingtown) began the scoring with a reverse-stick sweep off a penalty-corner play at the 19:20 mark. Freshman sweeper Joanne Lombard (Ambler, Pa./Gwynedd Mercy Academy) netted her fourth goal of the season on a penalty corner at the 8:53 mark to give SU a 2-0 lead. Freshman Brittany Carriero (Setauket, N.Y./Ward Melville) received a pass from Ann-Marie Guglieri (Carmel, N.Y./Carmel) at about the 40-yard line, dribbled up the right side of the field and fired a shot just as she crossed into the circle. The ball found the far left corner of the cage with 7:24 remaining in the first half.
Connecticut created more offensive attacks for itself in the second half, out-shooting SU, 12-10.
Sophomore midfielder Jackie Sheaffer (Richfield, Pa./Middleburg) tipped in an Aronowicz penalty-corner shot at the 33:50 mark to extend the Orangewomen's advantage to 4-0. UConn got on the board just 23 seconds later when sophomore Mary Jo Malone redirected a crossing pass from Lauren Henderson into the goal.
SU started sophomore goalkeeper Betsy Wagner (Cherry Hills, Colo./Colorado Academy), who played the first 35 minutes of the game and made two saves, including an incredible diving save on a UConn penalty corner early in the contest. Junior Audrey Latsko (Emmaus, Pa./Emmaus) played the second half in goal and finished with eight saves. UConn's Maureen Butler played the entire game in goal and registered nine stops.
The Orangewomen were perfect at home this season, winning all nine of their games on Coyne Field. The last time SU won all of its home games was 1993.
Connecticut's season comes to a close with an 8-9 overall record and a 1-4 mark in the BIG EAST.
The Orangewomen move on to the 2001 BIG EAST Tournament as the No. 1 seed on Nov. 3-4, at Boston College. They will play fourth-seeded Rutgers, while No. 2 Boston College squares off against No. 3 Villanova in the other semifinal. The championship game will be contested on Sunday, Nov. 4. Syracuse is the only team to qualify for all 13 conference tournaments. SU has won two tournament championships (1993 and 1995). Both were won at Boston College.
The winner of the BIG EAST Tournament receives an automatic berth to the 2001 NCAA Championship. Syracuse appeared in the 1993 and 1995 NCAA Tournaments.
Syracuse 4, Connecticut 1
First-Half Scoring:
SU 19:20 Kristin Aronowicz (Emily Smith/Michelle Aronowicz) SU 8:53 Joanne Lombard (Michelle Aronowicz/Ann-Marie Guglieri) SU 7:24 Brittany Carriero (unassisted)
Second-Half Scoring:
SU 33:50 Jackie Sheaffer (Kristin Aronowicz) UC 33:27 Mary Jo Malone (Lauren Henderson)
Shots: SU 20, UConn 15
Saves: Betsy Wagner (SU) 2, Audrey Latsko (SU) 8, Maureen Butler (UConn) 9
Penalty Corners: SU 13, UConn 8
Cards: Kristin Aronowicz (SU) green, Missy Grosman (SU) yellow, Megan Ware (yellow), Mary Jo Malone (yellow)
Attendance: 234
