Jones Leads 'Cuse By Holy Cross

Sunday, August 16

Syracuse, NY

1 PM

Syracuse University

1-0-1, 0-0-0

Holy Cross

0-1-1, 0-0-0

Team	1	2	Final F
Holy Cross	0	1	1
Syracuse	1	2	3

8/16/2026 4:37:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score Highlights

Fifth-year midfielder Vickie Jones scored twice to lead Syracuse (1-0-1) to victory against Holy Cross (0-1-1), 3-1, on Sunday at the SU Soccer Stadium. The goals were the first two of her Orange tenure.

HOW THE MATCH WAS WON
A stretch of three goals in less than five minutes in the second half ultimately settled the match. Holy Cross tied the contest, 1-1, on a penalty kick goal from Sam Halligan, 65:12 into the game. Just 1:10 later, the Orange answered. Sophomore Abby Incorvaia's free kick found junior Jasmine Nixon in front of the Crusader cage and Nixon deflected the ball past goalkeeper Antriana Mila. Syracuse took less than three minutes to add an insurance goal. Jones tallied her second of the game on a penalty kick at 69:15.

ORANGE OPEN SCORING
The two teams played even for most of the first half. With less than three minutes to go before intermission, Jones fed junior Kendall Mesh on the right. Mesh's cross was knocked out of the box by the Holy Cross defense, but traveled right back to Jones. Her left-footed drive carried over a leaping Mila and into the net at 43:02 of the first half.

SECOND-HALF OFFENSIVE FIREWORKS
Fifteen minutes into the second half, the scoreboard got busy. It began with the Crusaders' Halligan earning a penalty kick. She beat Syracuse's Maya Naimoli on a penalty kick to even the score, 1-1, at the 65:12 mark.

The match did not stay knotted for long. With Syracuse on the attack, Holy Cross was called for a foul. Incorvaia sent the ball toward the net and Nixon helped the shot change direction and find the net. The tally came at 66:22.

A Holy Cross foul in the box provided Syracuse with a penalty kick try. Jones was selected and posted her second goal of the game.

NOTABLE NUMBERS:

Jones posted Syracuse's first two-goal effort since Ashley Rauch scored twice at Holy Cross last season on Aug. 24.
Jones was named the Player of the Match by her teammates.
The victory was the Syracuse athletic program's first of the 2026-27 season.
Syracuse received complete game, 90-minute efforts from Bree Bridges, Vickie Jones, Chloe Joseph, Maya Naimoli and Jasmine Nixon.
Sophomore Abby Incorvaia made her first collegiate start.
Junior Kendall Mesh and freshman Sara Weisberg made their Syracuse debuts. Mesh, from Spencerport, N.Y., transferred from Old Dominion during the offseason.
There were 31 fouls in the game -- 17 by Syracuse.