Syracuse Women’s Lacrosse Season Ends in the NCAA Tournament Quarterfinals to Northwestern, 15-4
By: Ian Nicholas | @IanNicholasTV
CitrusTV Women’s Lacrosse Beat Reporter
Evanston, IL – Syracuse Women’s Lacrosse’s 2022 campaign is over (15-6, 6-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) after fourth-seeded Northwestern (16-4, 5-1 Big Ten Conference) throttled SU in a 15-4 NCAA Tournament Quarterfinals victory. The Wildcats avenged their 21-13 loss to the Orange in last year’s NCAA Tournament Semifinals, and in the process stayed a perfect 29-0 at home in National Postseason play under coach Kelly Amonte Hiller. NU received strong performances from both attacker Lauren Gilbert (five points, four goals) and goalie Madison Doucette (11 saves, .733% save rate), but The ‘Cats played great team lacrosse, too. Northwestern had nine different goal scorers with seven assists; and although NU lost the draw control battle 12-7, the Wildcats outshot the Orange 30-19.
Tewaaraton finalist Meaghan Tyrrell was the only member of The ‘Cuse to get anything going (three goals, seven shots), as the rest of Syracuse shot a combined 1-12. The senior now has 202 goals on her career, which makes Tyrrell just the seventh player in program history with at least 200. The All-ACC First-Team Selection finished the year with 78 goals, coming one shy of coach Kayla Treanor’s single-season record.
As was the theme for most of the Orange’s six losses, turnovers and poor play in-between the pipes doomed The ‘Cuse from the jump. SU turned the ball over four times in the first quarter (compared to one by NU), giving Northwestern ample opportunities to score despite failing to win draws early. After ceding the first goal of the game to Tyrrell a little over two minutes in, the Wildcats went on a 4-0 run during which goalie Kimber Hower failed to record a save. The alarm sounded for Hower when Gilbert converted a free position shot from the left side of the eight-meter with a whole two seconds left in the first; putting The ‘Cats ahead 6-2.
In the second frame, Syracuse committed another four turnovers while taking only four shots (which were all saved by Doucette). NU extended its advantage to 9-2 by halftime after Leah Holmes, Elle Hansen, and First-Team All-Big Ten Selection Erin Coykendall scored in the second. Hower’s play did perk-up to start the third quarter, as SU held Northwestern scoreless through the first 11:16 thanks to four saves from the UNC transfer. While their goalie looked alive in the third, the Orange offense did not. The ‘Cuse was outscored 3-1 over the final 3:44 of the frame and trailed 12-3 to start the fourth, as Tyrrell notched the lone goal of the period. Over the final 15 minutes, Gilbert added two points while Tyrrell scored one last goal with 2:31 left; with The ‘Cats coasting to an 11-goal blowout. NU plays either North Carolina or Stony Brook in the NCAA Tournament Semifinals on Friday, May 27th in Baltimore.
Kayla Treanor’s first year as head coach of Syracuse Women’s Lacrosse has ended with an early exit in the ACC Quarterfinals and a run to the Elite Eight in the NCAA Tournament. Like last season, injuries played a massive role in the Orange’s success (or lack thereof): Sophomore attacker Emma Ward didn’t play at all, starting midfielder Sierra Cockerille missed the final 16 contests of the year, and First-Team All-ACC Selection Emma Tyrrell went down with a torn ACL 12 games in. Regardless, the combination of Meaghan Tyrrell and the program’s new all-time leading goal-scorer, sixth-year senior Emily Hawryschuk (87 points, 63 goals, 24 assists), helped SU remain a top-5 team in the national rankings throughout 2022. Although Hawryschuk’s legendary career with The ‘Cuse is finished, Treanor should expect superstar seniors Meaghan Tyrrell, Megan Carney, and Sarah Cooper to highlight another top-10 unit next Spring. Syracuse also returns both its draw specialist in junior Kate Mashewske (8.48 draw controls per game) and primary netminder in Hower (11.72 goals against average, .373% save rate). Factor in the injury returns of Emma Tyrrell, Ward, and Cockerille; plus the emergence of ACC All-Freshman Team Selection Olivia Adamson (40 points, 31 goals, nine assists) and you’ve got the recipe to another strong season for Treanor’s crew in 2023.
