Orange Plays No. 9 Virginia at the Dome on Saturday

Game Notes
Live Stats

The 15th-ranked Syracuse Orange welcomes the No. 9 Virginia Cavaliers to the Carrier Dome on Saturday in a battle of nationally-ranked teams. Syracuse is coming off a 19-6 victory against Albany to earn its first victory of the 2007 season. Four players recorded hat tricks in SU’s victory. The Cavaliers have won both of their games this season, defeating No. 13 Richmond, 13-5, on Wednesday.

Live stats will be available on suathletics.com. The game can also be seen live on suathletics.com through Orange All Access.

HELPING HAND

Syracuse is doing a much better job of passing the ball around to create scoring opportunities this year. The Orange has recorded assists on 44.8 percent (13-of-29) of its goals in 2007, compared to just 29.5 percent in 2006 (56-of-190). Syracuse currently leads the BIG EAST with 6.50 assists per game after finishing fourth in the conference during the 2006 season with 3.44 assists per game.

In addition, Gaddy Fortune and Katie Rowan combined for 48.9 percent (93-of-190) of Syracuse’s goals in 2006. This year the scoring is much more spread out with five players recording at least four goals.

DOM(E)INATION

Many teams enter the Carrier Dome but very few can claim to leave the Loud House as a winner. Syracuse owns an all-time record of 56-15 (.789 winning percentage) at the Carrier Dome. This season, SU won its only home game, defeating Albany, 19-6. Last season, the Orange won 8 of 11 games contested in the Dome, including two against ranked opponents. Nine of Syracuse’s 56 Dome victories have come against ranked opponents.

SISTER ACT

Senior Jill DePetris is joined by a familiar face this year, freshman and sister Jackie DePetris. Jill ranks among the best at Syracuse. She has started all 50 games she has played in and ranks 10th in school history with 82 career points and fifth with 31 career assists.

It was a family affair during Syracuse’s game against Albany. Jill matched career highs with four goals and five points and set a personal best with five caused turnovers. Jackie notched her first collegiate goal in her career game.

Jill and Jackie’s older sister, Jen, also played lacrosse at the college level. Jen finished her career at Monmouth last season.

SYRACUSE – VIRGINIA SERIES

The meeting between Syracuse and Virginia is the ninth time the two schools will play each other. The Cavaliers have won five of the eight games in the series, including the last two games. Both teams have been ranked in all eight of the meetings. Syracuse has twice defeated a third-ranked Virginia team, the highest ranked team that SU has defeated in school history. The road team has won five of the eight games in the series.

Virginia won last year’s contest, 14-9, in Charlottesville. The Cavaliers used a 6-1 first-half run to claim the lead and Syracuse could only pull as close as four goals after that. Gaddy Fortune led the Orange with three goals.

SCOUTING THE CAVALIERS

The Cavaliers are coming off a 13-5 victory against 13th-ranked Richmond on Wednesday. Virginia was led on the offensive side by sophomore Blair Weymouth, who recorded five points on three goals and two assists. The Cavaliers also had a strong defensive performance, allowing only eight shots on goal.

Senior Kate Breslin leads Virginia with 10 points on nine goals and one assist. Sophomore Ashley McCulloch shares the team lead with 10 points, scoring four goals and adding a team-best six assists. Weymouth has added four goals for the Cavaliers.

The Virginia defense has been a strong point for the Cavaliers this season, allowing only 12 shots on goal during the first two contests. Junior goalkeeper Kendall McBrearty owns a goal against average of 2.50 and a save percentage of .364.

Syracuse University Athletics

Orange Plays No. 9 Virginia at the Dome on Saturday

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