Syracuse University
North Carolina
Towson-Bound: Orange Punches Ticket for NCAA Semis with 13-11 Win Against North Carolina
5/17/2008 2:51:22 PM | Women's Lacrosse
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SYRACUSE, N.Y. - For the first time in school history, Syracuse will play in the NCAA Women’s Lacrosse Championship semifinal after defeating North Carolina, 13-11, in front of 1,037 fans in the Carrier Dome on Saturday, May 17. The victory was the Orange’s 11th straight and extended its school-record win total to 18. Syracuse plays top-seeded and three-time defending champion Northwestern on Friday, May 23 at 6 p.m. at Johnny Unitas Stadium in Towson, Md.
“I thought it was a great team effort, said first-year head coach Gary Gait. “We knew Carolina was very athletic and a very good team. I thought we prepared well and the players stepped up when we needed to and executed. That’s what it takes to win games like this – players to make plays and to get the ball to bounce your way once or twice. It thought it went well today, and I’m excited about heading down to Towson.”
Junior attack Katie Rowan led the Orange with six points on two goals and four assists. She now has 69 assists this season, which ties the NCAA single-season record. Three of Rowan’s points came in the final 10 minutes as Syracuse rallied from a one-goal deficit to take the lead for good. Sophomore Christina Dove added five points on three goals and two assists, while junior Megan Mosenson tallied a hat trick.
In a tight game that featured four ties, North Carolina (13-7) broke a 9-9 tie, taking its first lead of the game on Megan Bosica’s third goal of the contest with 9:50 remaining. Following an SU timeout, Rowan scored an unassisted goal 45 seconds later to knot the game, and then fed Halley Quillinan for a goal that put Syracuse ahead for good with 8:30 on the clock. Syracuse increased its lead when Mosenson converted a pass from Rowan, before the Tar Heels again cut the lead to one on Bosica’s fourth goal of the game. The Orange clinched the victory when freshman goalkeeper Liz Hogan threw a clearing pass 55 yards to Jackie DePetris who scored an open-net goal with 55 seconds remaining for the 13-11 final.
Syracuse led by as many as three in the first half. The Orange took an early lead with goals from Kristin Brady and Mosenson in the first eight minutes of the game. After North Carolina answered two goals of its own, Rowan, Quillinan and Dove each found the back of the net to give SU’s its largest lead of the day with 13:24 left in the half. The Tar Heels again responded with two goals before Mosenson scored on an assist from Dove with nine seconds on the clock to give the Orange a 6-4 halftime lead.
Quillinan finished with two goals, while Awehiyo Thomas added a goal as Syracuse surpassed the NCAA single-season record for goals scored. The Orange has now found the back of the net 372 times this season, bettering the previous mark of 361 set by Northwestern last season. Bosica led North Carolina with four goals, while Kristen Taylor had two goals and an assist.
In her second post-season start, Hogan made seven saves, caused two turnovers and picked up four ground balls to go along with her first career assist. Senior defender Shannon Brushe led the Orange with five ground balls. She also had two draw controls and a caused turnover. Amanda Barnes recorded nine saves in goal for the Tar Heels.
Syracuse won 16-of-26 draw controls and had 15 ground balls to 18 for the Tar Heels. North Carolina recorded 28 shots on goal, compared to 27 for the Orange.
Syracuse and Northwestern will be joined in the national semifinals by Pennsylvania and Duke. The Quakers and Blue Devils will meet in the second semifinal.
Ticket information for the semifinals and finals will be available on suathletics.com on Monday.
