Comans Calls Game in Overtime

Sunday, October 2

Villanova, PA

1 p.m.

Syracuse University

(10-2)

James Madison University

(7-4)

Syracuse

James Madison

Quirine Comans After Passing against Boston College

Photo by: Todd Michalek

10/2/2022 3:06:00 PM | Field Hockey

Box Score

CONSHOHOCKEN, Pa. – Trailing by a goal after nearly 45 minutes, the No. 13 Syracuse University field hockey team rallied past No. 18 James Madison for an overtime thriller and a 2-1 win.

Graduate student Quirine Comans collected a rebound in the 67th minute and called game over with the game-winner. Joy Haarman took the initial shot that was saved, but the juicy rebound fell to Comans for the victory at The Proving Grounds in the Philadelphia suburbs.

Syracuse (10-2) won its first overtime game since a 2-1 finish over Wake Forest on Oct. 19, 2020. Comans and Sabine van den Eijnden provided the goals for the 'Cuse while Eefke van den Nieuwenhof added the assist on the van den Eijnden goal. Brooke Borzymowski made four saves in her second victory of the week.

James Madison (7-4) took a 1-0 lead in the 25th minute on a penalty stroke goal from Diede Remijnse. The Dukes got six saves from Brandelynn Heinbaugh, including one in overtime, but it led to the game-winning goal.

How it Happened

In an evenly-matched first quarter, the two sides went back and forth before the Orange got two shots off in the opening 15 minutes, including one on back-to-back corner insertions from hometowner SJ Quigley.
Syracuse's defense held the Dukes without a shot through the opening quarter.
The second stanza was more up-and-down as James Madison took three shots while the Orange managed a pair.
In the 18th minute, Joy Haarman got a shot on goal for the Orange, but it was stopped by Heinbaugh to keep the game scoreless.
The Dukes took a 1-0 lead into the break on Remijnse's penalty stroke in the 25th minute.
Out of the break, Syracuse put the pressure on quickly as Quigley inserted another corner, setting up a van den Nieuwenhof blast from the top of the scoring area, but Heinbaugh was equal to the attempt.
'Cuse continued to apply pressure with another set of back-to-back corners from Quigley and Willemijn Boogert but another shot from van den Nieuwenhof was blocked on its way in.
JMU looked to add to its score in the 42nd second minute on a shot from Tori Carawan but Borzymowski made her first save of the day. Ten seconds later, the Fallston, Maryland product made another save to keep the Orange in striking distance.
In the waning moments of the third quarter, the Orange gathered their sixth corner of the day, but the ensuing shot from the top was blocked.
But the Orange got things even at 1-1 in the final 30 seconds of the third as van den Eijnden poked home a pass from van den Nieuwenhof after another Quigley corner.
Early in the fourth, James Madison had a chance but it was blocked. The Orange countered in transition as Haarman got a shot off in the 53rd minute but the effort was thwarted by Heinbaugh.
With three minutes to go, the Orange got four-straight corners with another fourchances at the goal, thrice from van den Nieuwenhof and one from Laura Graziosi but the first two were saved and the second two were blocked on the way.
The Orange defense withstood a huge test in the final minute as James Madison earned three corners with four shots incoming, but the defense made two blocks with a stop from Borzymowski to force overtime.
Syracuse had the first chance in overtime, grabbing a corner five minutes into the bonus period, but the Orange could not get a shot off.
Two minutes later, the Orange got the chance from Haarman. After Heinbaugh made the initial save, Comans grabbed the loose ball and finished things off in the 67th minute.

Behind the Numbers

The offenses were even through the game as the Orange took 16 total shots while JMU managed a baker's dozen. Each side took seven shots in the fourth quarter and beyond.
Borzymowski made two saves in both the third and fourth quarter to keep the Orange within striking distance. Heinbaugh made three of her six saves in the fourth quarter.
Syracuse controlled the corners, inserting 11 chances, including nine in the final 37 minutes of the contest.
Sunday's goal was Comans' first game-winning goal this season. She now has at least one point in each of the last three games for the Orange, all victories for Syracuse, which is 8-1 this season when Comans scores.
This is the third-straight game van den Nieuwenhof has registered an assist, while helping back the Orange to just one goal allowed in those contests, and a penalty stroke at that.
Syracuse had a 216 minute shutout streak working before the penalty stroke. The Orange have not allowed a goal with the clock running in 258 minutes.
Sunday's game was the first overtime contest for the Orange since September 10 last season against No. 8 Rutgers. It marked the first overtime win for the Orange since Oct. 19, 2020 in a 2-1 effort at Wake Forest.

Up Next for Syracuse

The Orange host Stanford Wednesday night at J.S. Coyne Stadium, the first night game this season for Syracuse.
Game time is set for 6 p.m. in a cross-country clash, set for the first Orange television game this season on ACC Network.