No. 13 ’Cuse Storms Past No. 8 Cards

Friday, October 20

Louisville, Ky.

6 p.m.

Syracuse University

(10-5, 2-3ACC)

Louisville

(12-4, 2-3ACC)

Syracuse

Louisville

10/20/2023 8:34:00 PM | Field Hockey

Box Score

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Behind two goals from graduate student Pieke van de Pas, No. 13 Syracuse University field hockey soared past eighth-ranked Louisville 4-1 Friday night at Trager Stadium, collecting a top-10 ACC win on the road.

Syracuse (10-5, 2-3 ACC) had two goals with an extra attacker during a Louisville yellow, including the first of two on the night from van de Pas. Hattie Madden and Cato Schreinemacher added goals as well. Redshirt freshman Abby Neitch collected her first career win in her second-ever start for the Orange, making four saves along the way.

Louisville (12-4, 2-3 ACC) had a 52nd minute goal from Julie Kouijzer on one of its three penalty corners. The Cardinals did not get a single shot off until the 12:40 mark of the fourth quarter. Merlijn van der Vegt was under duress all day and made six saves in goal for Louisville.

How it Happened

After dropping its previous two contests, Syracuse came out on a mission, ripping off four shots in the first four and a half minutes before Hattie Madden found the back of the net in a net-front scramble.
Syracuse out-shot the hosts 5-0 across the first 15 minutes, including a Willemijn Boogert attempt in the second minute that clanged off the post.
Syracuse took advantage of a Louisville 10-minute yellow card as Schreinemacher inserted a penalty corner that was followed by two dummy shots before the rookie tapped home a 2-0 lead for the Orange, scoring with just 50 seconds left in the opening half.
Still with an extra attacker due to the yellow card, van de Pas took advantage of extra space, backhanding home her ninth of the season, going bar-down in the process.
Just four minutes later, van de Pas added another insurance tally with a perfectly executed attacking penalty corner, with Boogert interesting to Sienna Pegram with the stick stop and a 4-0 'Cuse lead.
After breaking through with a shot in the 48th minute, Louisville earned the second of its three penalty corners, setting up the Kouijzer goal from Lara Niebler and Mia Duchars.
Neitch made two more saves in the final eight minutes of the game, sealing her first collegiate win.

Behind the Numbers

Syracuse's offensive pressure was relentless, out-shooting the Cards 16-8 in the game. The Orange defensive corps did not surrender a shot until the 48th minute.
Syracuse had nine penalty corners while limiting Louisville to just three, all in the fourth frame.
The four Orange goals were the most Louisville has surrendered this season and came in the Cardinals third-straight loss.
The Orange snapped a two-game slide while picking up their first top-10 win in a true road game since topping No. 5 Boston College 3-1 (Sept.17, 2021).
Neitch has made eight saves in her last two starts, stopping four in each contest.
Friday's decision was the first Syracuse win in Louisville since a 2-1 overtime win in 2019. The Orange have won three of the last five meetings, including the last two showdowns.
The pair of corner goals ended a two-game scoring drought in those situations for the Orange. Syracuse had not scored on a penalty corner since late in the third quarter at Princeton.

Up Next for the Orange

No. 13 Syracuse wraps up the 2023 regular season at home next Friday with Senior Day festivities against Wake Forest.
Game time at J.S. Coyne Stadium is set for 4 p.m. live on ACC Network Extra.
Following that Friday clash, Syracuse will honor Pieke van de Pas, Sienna Pegram, Eefke van den Nieuwenhof and Charlotte de Vries.