Top-3 Teams Clash in ACC Opener

No. 3 SYRACUSE vs. No. 2 NORTH CAROLINA
Date & Time	Saturday, 1 p.m.
Location	J.S. Coyne Stadium
Game Notes	Syracuse
Video	Cuse.TV
Live Stats	Cuse.com
Cuse Twitter	@Cuse
Field Hockey Twitter	@CuseFH

Top-3 Battle
- This is the fifth time in program history Syracuse will be playing in a game between two teams ranked in the top-3 of the NFHCA poll, and the first time the Orange is hosting the game.
- Syracuse is 2-2 all-time in games where the Orange and its opponent are both ranked in the top-3.
- Two of those four-prior meetings were with North Carolina, with the Orange and Tar Heels each winning one of those games.

Orange Out!
- Saturday's game will be an Orange Out, with fans encouraged to sport orange clothing in support of the team.
- The first-100 fans in attendance will also receive Orange pom-poms.

Moving Up
- The 'Cuse field hockey team has moved up to #3 in the Penn Monto/NFHCA Poll, following its 4-0 win over #18 UMass.
- The Orange have won their first four games by a total scored of 14-2 and have beaten two ranked opponents, UMass and #6 Stanford, in the process.
- 'Cuse goalie Jess Jecko was named the ACC Defensive Player of the Week for the first week of the season. She has 12 saves and is boating a 0.857 save percentage on the year, in part due to shutouts against UC Davis and UMass.
- SU comes into Saturday's match against North Carolina with a 4-0 record. In each of the last three years, the Orange have won at least their first five games.

'Cuse vs. North Carolina
- The Orange is 4-6 all-time against the Tar Heels, but 4-4 since Head Coach Ange Bradley took over the team in 2008.
- 'Cuse has won its last two matches against North Carolina, defeating them 3-2 in overtime on Nov. 7, 2014 and 3-2 in a shootout on Nov. 21, 2014.
- The Orange are 2-0 all-time against the Tar Heels at home, defeating them 1-0 in overtime on Sept. 1, 2012 and 1-0 on Nov. 2, 2013.
- Twice, SU and North Carolina have squared off as top three teams. Both games were decided by one goal, with the #2 Orange winning 1-0 on Nov. 2, 2013 and the #3 Tar Heels winning 1-0 on Nov. 8, 2013. The Orange have played two other games against top three teams while also being ranked in the top three, losing to #2 Wake Forest 3-2 on Nov. 21, 2008 and beating #3 Princeton 2-0 on Sept. 23, 2012.
- Senior forward Emma Russell has led the way for 'Cuse against North Carolina. The senior captain has nine-career points on four goals and an assist vs. UNC, including a pair of game-winners.
- Senior captain Alyssa Manley is the other member of the current Orange with points against UNC.
- Jess Jecko has started five games against UNC in her career, allowing eight goals over 395 minutes between starts in 2013 and 2014. Jecko boasts a 1.42 goals against average vs. UNC and a .742 save percentage.
- Head coach Ange Bradley is 3-5 all-time in her career against North Carolina. She's 3-3 at Syracuse and went 0-2 at Richmond.

Milestone Watch
- Senior forward Emma Russell is closing in on the program's all-time goal scoring record.
- Russell needs just two goals to tie Lindsey Conrad at 47 goals on the list, and three to become the leader by herself.
- Russell is also 32 points away from the program record for points, held by Martina Loncarica who finished her Orange career with 139. Russell currently is currently tied with Leonie Geyer for fourth on the list with 110.
- Senior Jess Jecko is currently sixth in goals against average at Syracuse (1.41). Cheri Herr owns the program record with a 1.00 goals against average.

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Players Mentioned

Jess Jecko

Alyssa Manley

Emma Russell

Syracuse University Athletics