Syracuse Shuts Out Mercyhurst

Graduate student Dalani Stephens had two first-half goals and Syracuse (3-0-1) had its top offensive output since 2015 in a 5-0 victory against Mercyhurst (0-3-0) at the SU Soccer Stadium on Sunday.

Coach Nicky Thrasher Adams has the Orange off to the program's best start since 2016, when Syracuse was also 3-0-1 after four games. The last time the Orange had five goals in a game was August 21, 2015, when Syracuse finished with six in a win versus Lafayette.

Orange Unleash Early Assault
Syracuse pressed Mercyhurst early and it paid off. Redshirt junior Erin Flurey fed Stephens, who drove the ball just inside the post. The tally, her first with the Orange, came just 4:25 into the contest. Syracuse upped its advantage at 18:52 when junior Ava Uribe lofted a lead pass to senior Liesel Odden, who carried past Mercyhurst's defense and found the net for the second time this season.

Seven minutes later, junior Anna Rupert gathered a long pass from graduate student Kate Murphy, fought off a defender, and pushed the ball past the Laker goalkeeper to put Syracuse ahead, 3-0. The Orange added a fourth goal on a set piece at 30:26. Freshman Vita Naihin took the corner kick, Stephens received it, and directed the ball into the cage for her second of the half.

By the intermission, Syracuse had built an 11-1 advantage in shots.

A Final Marker
With time winding down, Naihin engineered one more threat. She fed freshman Allie Fouts, who scored her first collegiate goal with 9:44 remaining in the match.

Shared Shutout:
Senior Blythe Braun and sophomore Sam Haley each played a half in goal for the Orange. The Syracuse defense posted its third shutout of the campaign.

Notable Notes:

Five Syracuse players made their season debuts: senior Grace Franklin, sophomores Sam Haley and Caro Monterrey and freshman Amanda Goldstein.
Junior Maya McDermott had a game-high four shots. Freshman Anna Croyle, Stephens, and junior Mackenzie Dupree each had three attempts.
Vita Naihin produced the first two-assist game by a Syracuse player since Chelsea Domond had two assists against Miami on Sept. 25, 2022.
Senior Kylen Grant played all 90 minutes for Syracuse.