Syracuse University
Rutgers University
Orange Wins in OT
10/2/2011 6:24:01 PM | Women's Soccer
Box Score
PISCATAWAY, N.J. -- Junior Jasmine Watkins scored her first career goal in the 103rd minute to give the Syracuse women's soccer team (5-4-3, 4-2-0) a 2-1 overtime victory against Rutgers (6-6-1, 1-4-1) on Sunday, Oct. 2 in Piscataway, N.J. The win extended the Orange's winning streak to a season-best three games.
Syracuse now has four BIG EAST victories this season, which is its highest win total in league play since the conference went to divisional play in 1999. The win also gives the Orange its first three-game regular-season winning streak against BIG EAST opponents since 1999.
Junior Tina Romganuolo set up the winning goal when she played the ball long to sophomore Cecilia Borgstrom. Borgstrom got to the inside of her defender and drove the ball across the goalkeeper, where Watkins finished off the play to give Syracuse its fourth one-goal victory of the season.
“Rutgers plays a very direct style of soccer and they tried to knock the ball long and get behind us,” said Syracuse head coach Phil Wheddon. “Our back four did a great job of dealing with the pressure. It took us a while to settle into our rhythm. In the second half we had great opportunities to score but we didn't take care of business. The ladies played so well today under very difficult conditions. We had to make some changes and the players really responded. Every player is contributing both on and off the field.”
Rutgers took the lead in the 12th minute. Julie Lancos served the ball into the box on a corner kick. Ashley Medcalf gathered the loose ball and put a shot into the lower right corner of the goal to put the Scarlet Knights up 1-0. The Orange answered in the 23rd minute when junior Rosina Callisto connected with junior Amanda Hamilton on a free kick into the box. Hamilton headed the ball past Rutgers' goalkeeper Emmy Simpkins for her first career goal and evened the score at 1-1. The Scarlet Knights produced three scoring chances in the final four minutes but couldn't take advantage of its chances as the teams were tied at intermission.
Both offenses applied pressure in the second half as each recorded eight shots. Syracuse's best scoring opportunity came in the 77th minute when Romagnuolo had back-to-back shots, but both were stopeed by Simpkins. The Scarlet Knights' Stefanie Scholz had two scoring chances late in regulations, but her first shot went high and the second went wide as the squads were still tied, 1-1, at the end of regulation.
Sophomore Brittany Kinmond had the first scoring chance for the Orange in the first overtime session, but her shot was stopped by Simpkins. Lancos' shot in the 97th minute went wide as neither team could find the back of the net in the first overtime.
Rutgers outshot Syracuse, 16-13, while both teams earned five corner kicks. Orange goalkeeper Brittany Anghel finished with three saves, while Simpkins had six.
“When you go against a team that plays a direct style, eventually they will break you down,” Wheddon said. “When that happened, Brittany (Anghel) was fantastic. She narrowed the angles and made one save that, in my opinion, was a world-class save. It's a save that many goalkeepers would struggle to make. She proved again that she is one of the best goalkeepers in the BIG EAST.”
The Orange continues its road swing next weekend at Pittsburgh on Friday at 7 p.m. and at No. 22 West Virginia on Sunday at 1 p.m.
