Susek's Late Goal Lifts SU To 3-2 Win

Friday, October 28

Villanova, Pa.

4 p.m.

Syracuse University

Villanova University

Heather Susek is tied for the team and BIG EAST lead in goals with Kelsey Millman (16)

Photo by: Michael J. Okoniewski

10/28/2011 6:00:18 PM | Field Hockey

Box Score | Season Stats | BIG EAST Championship Central

After Villanova tied the score at two with 3:40 left in the second half, Heather Susek scored her conference-tying 16th goal of the season just 18 seconds later to lift Syracuse (15-3, 5-1 BIG EAST) to a 3-2 win against the Wildcats on Friday. The win secures the Orange the No. 2 seed in next weekend's BIG EAST Tournament, which will be held at J.S. Coyne Stadium.

Villanova, which clinches the No. 3 seed after Friday's loss, will take on the Orange again next Friday at 3:00 p.m. No. 1 seed Connecticut and No. 4 seed Louisville will play in the first semifinal at 12:30 p.m.

Syracuse outshot the Wildcats 18-6 for the game, while Villanova generated eight corners to SU's five.

The Orange came out in the first half outshooting Villanova 8-3, including seven shots on goal. SU got on the board midway through the half as Lauren Brooks collected her second goal of the season off a shot from the left wing that deflected off Wildcat goalkeeper Megan Goelz (10 saves).

Not long after the Brooks tally, SU goalkeeper Leean Stiver was tested by Lauren Wilson from the right of the cage. Wilson, in search of her sixth goal of the season, was denied by Stiver with a sprawling pad save. Villanova had a few other chances to even the score after being awarded four penalty corners.

The Wildcats continued their luck in penalty corners ten minutes into the second half, and tied the score at one when Leah High deflected a shot from Kristen Davila into the back of the cage.

Senior Martina Loncarica put SU back on top with 13:11 left in regulation when she took a pass from Jordan Page and sent a backhand shot from the left wing past Goelz for the score. Minutes later, Loncarica was issued a yellow card, forcing the Orange to play one-man down for five minutes.

With time running out on Villanova High notched her second of the game on another deflection following a penalty corner to tie the score 2-2. Syracuse would not be denied, however, as Susek scored just 18 seconds after the High tally as she sped down the right sideline and fired a backhand through Goelz to give SU the lead for good.

The Orange return to J.S. Coyne Stadium on Sunday to close the regular season against Bucknell at 2:00 p.m. Prior to the game, SU will honors its four seniors (Loncarica, Nicole Nelson, Susek and Erika Wachter) for their dedication to Syracuse during their careers with the Orange.