#5 Orange Top #4 Wildcats in Season Opener Thriller

Saturday, February 11

12 PM

Syracuse University

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Northwestern

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Northwestern

Syracuse

#5 Orange Top #4 Wildcats in Season Opener Thriller

2/11/2023 4:11:00 PM | Women's Lacrosse

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SYRACUSE, N.Y. – No. 5 Syracuse opened the 2023 season on high note, defeating No. 4 Northwestern, 16-15, in the JMA Wireless Dome on Saturday in a rematch of last year's NCAA Tournament quarterfinal.

Graduate student Meaghan Tyrrell picked up where she left off last season when she was a semifinalist for the Tewaaraton Award. Tyrrell recorded a game-high eight points on two goals and a career-best six assists. After the Wildcats tied the score at 14-14, Tyrrell assisted on a goal and then scored her second of the day to put the game out of reach.

Senior Delaney Sweitzer started in goal for the Orange and made a career-high 11 saves. Junior Katie Goodale also helped anchor the 'Cuse defense as she tied her career highs with four caused turnovers and four ground balls.

HOW IT HAPPENED
After a back-and-forth first quarter, the Orange started to pull away in the second. Olivia Adamson scored on an assist from Emma Ward, sparking Syracuse on a 6-1 scoring run to end the first half. Ward and Emma Tyrrell both scored during the run as they returned to the lineup after suffering season-ending injuries a year ago. Maddy Baxter posted the final goal of the half on an assist from Ward, her third of the game, with 17 seconds on the clock to send the Orange into the locker room with an 8-4 lead.

Northwestern fought back in the third quarter, outscoring Syracuse 5-1 in the first nine minutes to even the score at 9-9. The squads traded goals before Ward scored on an assist from Meaghan Tyrrell to give the Orange an 11-10 advantage heading into the final frame.

With Syracuse leading 13-11, Dylan Amonte and Izzy Scane scored back-to-back goals to tie the score with 10:23 on the clock. The teams again traded goals before Emma Tyrrell and Meaghan Tyrrell went back-to-back to push the advantage back to two at 16-14 with 1:10 remaining.

Northwestern wouldn't go away and Scane scored with 14 seconds on the clock to bring the Wildcats within one. Northwestern won the ensuing draw, but Goodale caused a turnover and picked up a ground ball to seal the top-five win for the Orange.

OF NOTE
Megan Carney led the Orange offense with four goals, while Ward finished with five points on two goals and three assists. Emma Tyrrell had four points (3g, 1a) in her return to the lineup. They were part of a balanced offensive attack that featured seven different goal scorers.

The crowd of 2,062 ranks as the third-largest single-game crowd in program history.

UP NEXT
Syracuse's schedule doesn't get any easier as it takes on another national semifinalist from a year ago in No. 2 Maryland on Friday, February 17 at 3 p.m. in the JMA Wireless Dome. Tickets are available at Cuse.com/Ticketing.