BIG EAST Champions: Orange Claims First Outright Regular-Season Title

Saturday, April 19

Away

1:00 p.m.

Syracuse University

Loyola

Syracuse was unbeaten in BIG EAST play in 2008 for the first time in school history.

BIG EAST Champions: Orange Claims First Outright Regular-Season Title

4/19/2008 3:55:45 PM | Women's Lacrosse

Boxscore

BALTIMORE, Md. – The No. 5/4 Syracuse women’s lacrosse team defeated Loyola (Md.), 19-8, on Saturday, April 19, to win its first outright BIG EAST regular-season title in school history. The Orange finished the regular season with a 5-0 mark in league play, marking the first time Syracuse has been unbeaten against BIG EAST opponents. With the win, Syracuse improves to 13-2 on the season, tying the school single-season record for most victories. Loyola goes to 6-9 overall, 1-4 in BIG EAST play.

“It’s nice to win the BIG EAST regular-season title and get the top seed for the conference tournament,” head coach Gary Gait said. “It’s all about the tournament because that’s where the automatic qualifier comes from. It’s nice to win the regular-season title, but let’s get ready for the tournament.”

It marks the second-straight BIG EAST regular-season title for the Orange. Last season Syracuse and Georgetown tied shared the regular-season crown after both teams finished the regular-season with 4-1 records.

Junior Katie Rowan scored three goals and dished out three assists for a game-high seven points, giving her 104 in 2008. She becomes the first player in school history to score more than 100 points in a season. Rowan now has 85 assists in her career, tying Kim Wayne for the top spot on SU’s career leader list. Wayne had 85 assists from 2000-03.

The first half was back-and-forth as the first 23 minutes of action included five ties and three lead changes. Freshman goalkeeper Liz Hogan made one of her three first-half saves on a free position to preserve a 5-5 tie. The two teams traded goals before the Orange offense took over, outscoring the Greyhounds, 5-0, in the final 6:09 of the first stanza to take an 11-6 halftime lead. Megan Mosenson started the scoring rally, making a move from behind the net for her first goal of the game. Rowan then found Awehiyo Thomas for the second time in the half to give SU a two-goal advantage at 8-6. Kristin Brady scored on a free position and Rowan scored two goals in the final 1:06 to give her five points in the half.

The Orange continued its scoring run in the second half as it recorded four unanswered goals to take a 15-6 lead. Halley Quillinan scored two of her three goals during the run. After Kate Filippelli notched Loyola’s first goal of the half with 12:27 to play, Syracuse found the back of the net three more times to take its largest lead of the day at 18-7 with 2:18 remaining. Both teams scored in the final 32 seconds for the 19-8 final.

Mosenson set a career-high with a game-best four goals, while Rowan, Quillinan, Brady, and Christina Dove recorded three goals each. Dove’s third goal of the game with 2:18 remaining in the contest was the 100th of her career. She is just the seventh player in school history to score 100 or more career goals. Filippelli and Grace Gavin led Loyola with two goals each.

Syracuse outshot Loyola, 45-23, and, led by a career-best five draw controls from Lindsay Rogers, won the battle in the circle, 17-12. The Orange defense caused 20 Greyhound turnovers. Hogan finished with seven saves. Meg Steffe had 16 saves for Loyola.

The Orange, which extend its longest winning streak of the year with its sixth-straight victory, plays its final regular-season game on Tuesday at 7 p.m. at Cornell. Syracuse will be the No. 1 seed at the BIG EAST Conference Tournament, beginning Friday in South Bend, Ind.