Dueling with the Deacs: Syracuse Field Hockey vs. Wake Forest

By: Sydney Chan | @SydneyO_Chan

No. 4 Syracuse field hockey opens ACC play tomorrow at home against No. 20 Wake Forest. It’s the first time since 2022 that both teams enter the contest ranked, and with SU holding a slim 9-8 edge in the overall series, the stage is set for another intense contest. The last time the Demon Deacons visited the 315, they edged the Orange after double overtime on penalty strokes. Wake has also spoiled SU’s hot starts in the past, snapping a 7-0 run in 2017. Now with the Cuse off to its best start since that year at 6-0, SU has a chance to flip that script. This matchup comes down to individual stars on both sides:

Syracuse

• Bo van Kempen

It’s no surprise that the grad student has been a standout this season. Van Kempen scored the game-winning goal in overtime against No. 11 Princeon and recorded a hat trick in the victory over Lafayette, earning her second ACC Offensive Player of the Week honor this year. After scoring 15 goals last season, the Netherlands native has nearly matched that total in just six games with 14 goals. She currently leads the nation in total goals, goals per game (2.33), and points per game (5.0). Beyond scoring, van Kempen is SU’s most aggressive and efficient shooter, taking a team-high 29 shots with 79.4% on target and a team-best 48.3% conversion rate.

• Tane King

Freshman goalkeeper Tane King has also been very impressive, splitting time in the cage with junior Jessie Eiselin. King leads the nation with a 0.17 goals-against average and is the only true freshman ranked in the top 10.

“It’s a cool stat, and it motivates me to keep working harder,” King said. “It’s exciting to come off right off the bat and play. I’m having a lot of fun with it.”

Through six games, she’s allowed just one goal while making 10 saves for a .909 save percentage. Among goalkeepers who have played every game for their team, she’s the only one to have conceded fewer than two goals. King and Eiselin are backed by a dominant Syracuse defense that has allowed only 33 shots — the Orange have scored 30 goals themselves. 

• Aubrey Turner/Ally Snyder/Taylor Bigbie

Several other freshmen have also made an immediate impact. Aubrey Turner has started all six games and is tied with junior Hattie Madden for second on the team with four goals. Fellow newcomer Ally Snyder isn’t far behind, recording three goals, including two in SU’s 5-2 win over Fairfield.

On the defensive end, Taylor Bigbie has emerged as a key contributor, particularly as a flyer on penalty corners. “Our back line is brave,” SU Head Coach Lynn Farquahar said. And there’s perhaps no position where you have been braver than being the flyer: the defender who sprints out of the cage on a penalty corner to pressure the top hitter. It’s a role that demands speed, timing, and fearlessness. In the Cuse’s 2-0 win over then-No. 16 Rutgers, the New York native showcased that courage in the fourth quarter, sprinting out on a Scarlet Knights penalty corner to make a critical block that was later deemed high.

“Taylor’s been fantastic… coming in as a first year, she’s got speed, she’s got grit. We need her to keep doing what she’s doing, and she’ll grow as she goes, too,” Farquhar added.

Wake Forest

• Lauren Storey/Mia Schoenbeck

The Demon Deacons’ offense last season was fueled by its underclassmen, highlighted by freshman Lauren Storey, who posted a team-best 17 points (7g, 3a) — the second-highest total among ACC freshmen in 2024. Now a sophomore, Storey has already scored seven goals, matching her teammate, junior Mia Schoenebeck. The two are tied for 12th nationally in goals per game.

• Ellie Todd

Wake Forest has rotated between three goalkeepers this season, but senior Ellie Todd has been the primary option, starting five of the team’s six games. Todd played every minute in goal as a junior, finished with over 70 or more saves for the second straight year, and recorded two shutouts. That year, she ranked third in the conference with 3.94 saves per game. She enters this contest with a notable 205 career saves.

First touch is scheduled for 5. Follow @SydneyO_Chan on X for all your in-game updates!