Saturday, November 15
Syracuse, N.Y.
11:30 a.m.
Syracuse University
3
vs
2
Massachusetts
Syracuse will compete for a spot in the national semifinals on Sunday at 2 p.m.
Bradley Bunch Advances to NCAA Second Round With 3-2 Triumph
11/15/2008 2:24:14 PM | Field Hockey
SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- Syracuse senior Shannon Taylor scored a pair of goals to lead the third-ranked Orange to a 3-2 win against No. 17 Massachusetts in the first round of the NCAA Field Hockey Championship on Saturday, November 15 at Coyne Stadium. With the victory, Syracuse improves its overall record to 21-1 and advances to the national quarterfinals for the third time in the program’s history.
“I’m really proud of the way the kids competed because the first game is always the toughest in a tournament,” said Orange head coach Ange Bradley. “Hats off to Massachusetts – they were great competitors today. They made us put everything on the line to be able to get the results that we needed today.”
The first half featured back and forth action as Massachusetts (17-5) took the early lead with Cher King’s goal off a rebound on a penalty corner, 3:25 into the contest. Syracuse answered less than four minutes later when Martina Loncarica scored on a crossing pass from Taylor. Taylor then gave the Orange its first lead, when, she converted on a penalty corner in the 25th minute. Loncarica and Maggie Befort were credited with assists on the play. A Syracuse turnover set up the Minutewomen’s equalizer. Katie Kelly started the play by intercepting an SU clearing pass. Orange goalkeeper Heather Hess came out to play Kelly, who passed it to a wide open Katelyn Orlando. Orlando put her shot in the open goal to tie the score with less the five minutes remaining in the first half.
Syracuse’s explosive corner unit provided the game-winner in the 47th minute. Taylor scored the goal on assists from Loncarica and Befort. It increased Taylor’s school single-season record for goals scored to 31 and her single-season point total to 79, another single-season school mark.
The Orange outshot the Minutewomen, 20-8, and held a 14-4 advantage in penalty corners. Hess finished with one save, while UMass goalkeeper Alesha Widdall had nine.
Syracuse improves its all-time record in the NCAA Championship to 3-3 and earns a spot in the final eight for the first time since the 2001 season. SU has never won an NCAA quarterfinal contest in two previous tries (1993, 2001).
The Orange will face either Penn State or Princeton on Sunday at 2 p.m. with a spot in the Final Four on the line.
“I’m really proud of the way the kids competed because the first game is always the toughest in a tournament,” said Orange head coach Ange Bradley. “Hats off to Massachusetts – they were great competitors today. They made us put everything on the line to be able to get the results that we needed today.”
The first half featured back and forth action as Massachusetts (17-5) took the early lead with Cher King’s goal off a rebound on a penalty corner, 3:25 into the contest. Syracuse answered less than four minutes later when Martina Loncarica scored on a crossing pass from Taylor. Taylor then gave the Orange its first lead, when, she converted on a penalty corner in the 25th minute. Loncarica and Maggie Befort were credited with assists on the play. A Syracuse turnover set up the Minutewomen’s equalizer. Katie Kelly started the play by intercepting an SU clearing pass. Orange goalkeeper Heather Hess came out to play Kelly, who passed it to a wide open Katelyn Orlando. Orlando put her shot in the open goal to tie the score with less the five minutes remaining in the first half.
Syracuse’s explosive corner unit provided the game-winner in the 47th minute. Taylor scored the goal on assists from Loncarica and Befort. It increased Taylor’s school single-season record for goals scored to 31 and her single-season point total to 79, another single-season school mark.
The Orange outshot the Minutewomen, 20-8, and held a 14-4 advantage in penalty corners. Hess finished with one save, while UMass goalkeeper Alesha Widdall had nine.
Syracuse improves its all-time record in the NCAA Championship to 3-3 and earns a spot in the final eight for the first time since the 2001 season. SU has never won an NCAA quarterfinal contest in two previous tries (1993, 2001).
The Orange will face either Penn State or Princeton on Sunday at 2 p.m. with a spot in the Final Four on the line.
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