No. 7 Syracuse Defeats No. 16 Rutgers to advance to BIG EAST Championship

Friday, April 27

Syracuse, N.Y.

TBA

Syracuse University

#16 Rutgers (BIG EAST Tournament)

Ashley Pike helped lead the Orange to the inaugural BIG EAST Championship, recording a team-best four goals.

No. 7 Syracuse Defeats No. 16 Rutgers to advance to BIG EAST Championship

4/27/2007 11:22:35 PM | Women's Lacrosse

Box Score
Semifinal One Photo Gallery
Semifinal Two Photo Gallery

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Behind a stellar defensive effort, the seventh-ranked Orange defeated No. 16 Rutgers, 13-7, to advance to the inaugural BIG EAST Women’s Lacrosse Championship. Syracuse will host top seed and 10th-ranked Georgetown on Sunday at the Carrier Dome for the conference’s automatic bid. The Hoyas defeated No. 12 Notre Dame, 12-10, during the evening’s first semifinal contest. First draw for the championship game is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. at the Carrier Dome.

Senior Ashley Pike (Watertown, N.Y.) and sophomore Katie Rowan (Delmar, N.Y.) led the Orange (11-4) offensive unit. Pike tallied a team-best four goals and Rowan added three goals and one assist. Junior Kristin Brady (Binghamton, N.Y.) and freshman Christina Dove (Bel Air, Md.) recorded two goals each, while senior Melissa Pearsall (Cortland, N.Y.) and freshman Halley Quillinan (Glenmont, N.Y.) added one score. Senior Jill DePetris (Radnor, Pa.) also recorded an assist for the Orange.

The Orange defensive unit had an outstanding contest to help SU advance to the championship game. Sophomore Amber Pardee-Hill (Lewiston, N.Y.) stopped 11 Rutgers (12-5) shots in the cage and the Orange committed 10 less turnovers than the Scarlet Knights. Rutgers recorded 16 turnovers, 13 of which were forced by the Orange, while SU posted only six turnovers. Junior Bridget Looney (Silver Spring, Md.) forced two Rutgers miscues to set the SU single-season record with 30 caused turnovers.

Both of Syracuse’s units started the contest strong, as the Orange jumped to a 4-0 advantage. Dove opened the scoring for Syracuse and was followed by a Brady goal and two scores by Pike to give the Orange a lead it would never relinquish. The SU defense held Rutgers scoreless for more than 17 minutes to begin the contest before the Scarlet Knights tallied their first goal with 12:29 remaining. The teams traded goals four times after that and Brady scored her second goal of the half with 48 seconds remaining to give the Orange an 8-5 halftime lead.

After Rutgers scored the second half’s opening goal 43 seconds into the second stanza, it was all Syracuse after that. The Orange defense allowed only one more goal during the next 29 minutes, while adding five goals on the offensive side. Rowan scored two-consecutive goals to give the Orange a 10-6 advantage and after Rutgers answered with a score, Quillinan, Pike and Rowan each tallied one more goal to give SU the seven-goal victory.

Mary Cryan led the Rutgers offense, posting three goals in the game. Katie Batiuk also added two goals and goalkeeper Erika Paige recorded nine saves in the cage.

Syracuse now turns its attention toward the six-time defending BIG EAST champions, Georgetown (10-6), in Sunday’s title game. The two teams played a close game earlier in the season in Washington, D.C., with Georgetown prevailing, 9-8, in sudden death overtime. A late turnover forced Pardee-Hill to freeze on the endline, giving the Hoyas an open goal and the victory. The two teams shared the BIG EAST regular-season title during the 2007 season.

Tickets for the championship are $4 for adults and $2 for seniors and youth. Admission is free for students and children 3 and under. Fans can purchase tickets online (click here) or by calling the box office (1-888-DOMETIX).