2008 Women's Soccer Weekly Recaps
October 27
ORANGE ENDS THE SEASON AT PROVIDENCE
Syracuse ended the season with a 3-2 loss at Providence. The Orange finish with a 5-11-2 overall record and a 2-8-1 mark in BIG EAST play. Syracuse won five games at home this season, its most wins at the SU Soccer Stadium since the 2004 campaign.
BELLINGHAM NETS PAIR OF GOALS IN SEASON FINALE
Sophomore Megan Bellingham scored two goals at Providence, marking the second time this season she has scored twice in a game. She finishes the season as Syracuse’s leading scorer with eight goals and 17 points. The eight goals and 17 points are the highest single-season totals for an SU player since 2001 when Nina Scalzo scored 11 goals and also recorded 17 points. In addition, Bellingham’s eight goals tie her for ninth on the single-season record list and are the fourth-highest single-season total by a sophomore in the program’s history.
ORANGE TRIO FINISH WHAT THEY START
Seniors Lauren Cappelli, Sarah Van Sickle and Karrah Benson started every game they played in at Syracuse, and all three rank in the top 10 on SU’s career game started leader list. Cappelli ranks fifth (76 starts), while VanSickle is seventh (74 starts) and Benson is eighth (73 starts).
October 20
THANK YOU SENIORS
to the game Syracuse honored 10 members of the squad that were playing in their final regular-season home match, including Amanda Arcuri, Karrah Benson, Emily Bush, Lauren Cappelli, Sara Grimsgaard, Kristen Hamill, Katie Peck, Crystal Rinaldi, Sarah VanSickle and Amy Ware.
ROBBINS ENJOYS CAREER FIRSTS
Redshirt freshman Kaitlin Robbins scored her first career goal in Syracuse's win against Seton Hall. Robbins took a pass from Megan Bellingham and found the back of the net to give the Orange a 1-0 lead. She is the fourth Syracuse player to score her first career goal this season. Against Rutgers, Robbins made her first career start.
RAMIREZ NETS GAME-WINNER
Freshman Casey Ramirez scored the game-winning goal in the 105th minute in the Orange's victory against Seton Hall. After the ball deflected off players from both teams, it came to Ramirez at the top of the box. She put her shot past SHU goalkeeper Elizabeth Bond to give Syracuse its first overtime win of the season. For Ramirez, it was her second goal of the year, both of which have been game-winners.
BENNETT-HATTAN STRONG IN GOAL
Junior goalkeeper Eliza Bennett-Hattan recorded a season-high eight saves against Rutgers, including one on a penalty kick that preserved a 0-0 tie in the first half. Bennett-Hattan also made six saves in Syracuse overtime win against Seton Hall. She has 55 saves this season, giving her 234 in her career. Bennett-Hattan needs just 20 saves to tie Shannon Myers (2001-04) for the top spot on Syracuse's all-time leader list.
HOME SWEET HOME
The Orange finished the regular season with five home wins. It is the most wins for SU on its home field since the 2004 squad won five games at the SU Soccer Stadium.
October 13
CAPPELLI JOINS RARE COMPANY
Senior Lauren Cappelli became just the eighth player in Syracuse history to start 70 games in her career. Cappelli has been part of the starting lineup in all 13 games this season, giving her 71 career starts. That total ties her with Molly Schmelzle (1998-01) for seventh place on the Orange’s career games started leader list.
GEORGETOWN GAME RESCHEDULED
The Orange will take a break from what was originally scheduled as a four-game home stand when it travels to Georgetown on Tuesday for a contest that was postponed on Oct. 3.
October 6
STREAKS CONTINUE
Three Orange seniors have extended their streaks of starting every game in which they have played at SU. Lauren Cappelli has started 69 straight games, while Sarah VanSickle’s streak stands at 67 games, Karah Benson has been in the starting lineup in 66 straight contests.
HOME SWEET HOME
After playing two consecutive road games, Syracuse returns home for four straight. The Orange is unbeaten on its home field in 2008. The four wins at the SU Soccer Stadium this season is the most for Syracuse since it won five games at home during the 2004 campaign.
September 29
ORANGE RECORDS FIRST BIG EAST WIN
Syracuse posted its fourth straight shutout and recorded its first BIG EAST win of the season with a 1-0 victory against Pittsburgh at the SU Soccer Stadium on Thursday, Sept. 25.
Freshmen Amanda Morris and Taylor Chamberlain connected for the only goal Syracuse would need in the 72nd minute. Morris took the ball on the right side of the box off a free kick. Pittsburgh goalkeeper Morie Kephart came out to play Morris, who passed the ball to Chamberlain coming in on the left side of the box. Chamberlain beat a Panthers’ defender to the ball and found the back of the net for her second goal of the season. For Morris, it was her first career assist.
Syracuse goalkeeper Eliza Bennett-Hattan made six saves and recorded her fourth shutout of the season, increasing her SU career-leading total to 16. Kephart finished with four saves for Pittsburgh.
AND THE BEAT GOES ON
Syracuse recorded its fifth shutout of the season in its 1-0 win against Pittsburgh. It was the Orange’s fourth straight shutout, marking the first time since the 1996 season that SU has shut out four straight opponents. Syracuse extended its string of consecutive minutes without allowing a goal to 301:40 before West Virginia’s first goal 5:55 into the contest.
FABULOUS FROSH
Syracuse’s freshmen have continued to make an impact this season. Three of Syracuse’s top five scorers this season are freshmen. Taylor Chamberlain’s two goals are tied for second on the team and her four points rank third. Amanda Morris and Casey Ramirez each has a goal and an assist and are tied for fourth on the team in scoring with three points each. Morris recorded her first career assist on Chamberlain’s second goal of the season in Syracuse’s 1-0 victory against Pittsburgh.
September 22
BENNETT-HATTAN SETS SCHOOL RECORD
Junior goalkeeper Eliza Bennett-Hattan recorded her 15th career shutout against St. John’s to become Syracuse’s all-time leader in that category. Bennett-Hattan made four saves against the Red Storm to give her 200 in her career. She is just the second goalkeeper in the program’s history to have 200 career saves. Bennett-Hattan has not allowed a goal in her last 283 minutes of play … The Syracuse defense has shut out its last three opponents.
BELLINGHAM CONTINUES TO SPARK ORANGE OFFENSE
Sophomore Megan Bellingham continues to lead Syracuse in scoring with a career-best six goals. She has found the back of the net in three of the Orange’s last four games and scored the game-winner against Binghamton.
ORANGE DEFENSE ON A ROLL
The Syracuse defense has shut out its last three opponents. The last time the Orange has posted three straight shutouts was during the 2000 season.
QUICK STRIKING ATTACK
Megan Bellingham’s goal against Binghamton came just 49 seconds into the contest, marking the second time Syracuse has scored in the first minute of a game this season.
September 15
BENNETT-HATTAN TIES SCHOOL RECORD
Junior goalkeeper Eliza Bennett-Hattan recorded her second shutout of the season and the 14th of her career in Syracuse’s win against Colgate. She is now tied for first on SU’s career shutout list with Shannon Myers (2001-04). Bennett-Hattan recorded four saves against the Raiders to move into a tie for second on Syracuse’s career saves list with 196.
BELLINGHAM CONTINUES TO PROVIDE OFFENSIVE SPARK
Sophomore Megan Bellingham scored SU’s first goal against Colgate, her team-leading fifth of the season. She has scored at least one goal in four of the Orange’s six games this season. The five goals are a career high.
A GAME OF FIRSTS
The win against Colgate featured several firsts. SU won for the first with head coach Phil Wheddon on the sideline. Wheddon was with the U.S. Women’s Soccer National Team at the Beijing Olympics when the Orange won its season opener against Albany. In addition, senior Karrah Benson recorded her first career assist, while senior Amy Ware recorded her first career point.
ORANGE OPENS BIG EAST PLAY
Syracuse continues its four-game home stand on Friday when it opens BIG EAST play against St. John’s.
September 8
BENNETT-HATTAN RECORDS SHUTOUT
Junior goalkeeper Eliza Bennett-Hattan recorded her first shutout of the season against Fordham. It was the 13th of her career, giving her sole possession of second place on Syracuse’s career leader list. With her next shutout Bennett-Hattan will tie Shannon Myers (2001-04) for the top spot on SU’s all-time leader list.
BELLINGHAM ENJOYS CAREER DAY
Sophomore Megan Bellingham recorded her first career multiple-goal game against Niagara. Bellingham’s first goal tied the score in the 53rd minute. She netted her second goal less than seven minutes later to give the Orange the lead. Bellingham leads the Orange in scoring this season with a career-high four goals.
September 1
WHEDDON MAKES SU DEBUT
Head coach Phil Wheddon was on the Orange sideline for the first time when Syracuse faced William & Mary. Wheddon returned to Syracuse after helping the U.S. Women's National Team win the gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Wheddon will be honored as part of Syracuse's Olympic Celebration during the Orange football squad's game against Akron on Saturday, Sept. 6.
BELLINGHAM AND BENNETT-HATTAN NAMED TO ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Sophomore Megan Bellingham and junior Eliza Bennett-Hattan were named to the All-Tournament Team at the JMU/Comfort Inn Invitational. Bellingham scored her second goal of the season against James Madison, while Bennett-Hattan recorded seven saves in two games.
CHAMBERLAIN NETS FIRST CAREER GOAL
Freshman Taylor Chamberlain scored her first career goal in Syracuse's contest against William & Mary. Chamberlain took a pass from Casey Ramirez and headed the ball past the Tribe goalkeeper in the 64th minute to tie the score. Chamberlain is the third SU freshman to score a goal this season. Of the Orange's five goals this season, three have been scored by freshmen.
BENNETT-HATTAN CLIMBING THE CHARTS
With seven saves in two games at the JMU/Comfort Inn Invitational, junior goalkeeper Eliza Bennett-Hattan has moved to a tie for third place on Syracuse's career saves list. Bennett-Hattan now has 190 stops in her career, tying her with Emily Kowalczyk (2002-05) for third place on the all-time ledger. Last season Bennett-Hattan recorded 104 saves, the second-highest single-season total in school history.
RAMIREZ EARNS BIG EAST HONOR
Freshman Casey Ramirez earned the BIG EAST Rookie of the Week award for her performance in Syracuse's season opener against Albany. Ramirez was credited with the game-winning goal on the first shot of her career.
Ramirez is the first Syracuse women's soccer student-athlete to earn the conference's Rookie of the Week award since 2005 when Kim Niedzwiecki received the honor for her performance during the week of Sept. 18-25.
August 25
ORANGE WINS SEASON OPENER
Syracuse defeated Albany, 3-1, to win its season opener for the second straight year. The Orange scored on its first two shots of the game. The first came just 1:30 into the match as sophomore Megan Bellingham scored SU’s first goal of the season. Less than three minutes later freshman Casey Ramirez converted on the first shot of her collegiate career. Freshman Amanda Morris also scored a goal in her collegiate debut.
The three goals against Albany are the highest single-game total for the Orange since it defeated DePaul, 3-2, on Oct. 7 of last season.
TRIO EXTENDS STREAK
Three seniors extended their streaks of starting every game in which they have played during their Syracuse careers in the season opener against Albany. Karrah Benson has started 56 straight games, while Sarah VanSickle’s streak stands at 57. Lauren Cappelli leads the way with 59 straight starts.
