Field Hockey Loses Heartbreaker to Maryland in NCAA Tournament
By: Skyler Wilkes | @swilkes04
CitrusTV Field Hockey Beat Reporter
COLLEGE PARK, M.D. – 357 days ago, Syracuse faced Maryland in the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament and lost 2-1. Today was a chance for No. 8 SU to exact its revenge and secure a spot in the semifinals for the first time since 2015. It wouldn’t be easy, as the second-ranked Terps were also second in the nation in goals per game and scoring average.
The opening quarter was all UMD. The Terps outshot the Orange 7-0, with five landing on net. Nonetheless, the period ended in a scoreless tie. In spite of the slow start, it was the ‘Cuse who drew first blood. A third of the way through the second, Quirine Comans went to cross it in front of the net, but the ball hit off a defender’s foot and rolled into the goal.
The Syracuse defense was able to stave off the Terrapins for the rest of the quarter and took a 1-0 lead into the locker room. Despite trailing, Maryland had an 8-2 shot advantage. It was goalie Brooke Borzymowski who helped keep SU alive. The sophomore had six saves in the first half alone.
UMD came out of the break with aggression. The Terps drew four straight penalty corners that produced five shots. Four of those attempts were saved by Borzymowski, who finished with 10 stops. The Orange struggled to generate any real offense in the third and got outshot 6-2. It was the defense again that kept the ‘Cuse in front heading into the final frame.
Missy Meharg’s squad wasted no time getting on the board in the fourth. Less than a minute in, Emma DeBerdine tapped in a deflected shot to tie things up. Later in the period, the midfielder found Sophie Klautz, who turned and fired to give Maryland its first lead of the game. Syracuse didn’t hang its head though and answered back 90 seconds after. Off an insertion, Eefke van den Nieuwenhof sent the ball high into the top left corner. The contest remained even at two for the rest of regulation.
Overtime wasn’t very eventful. SU tallied three shots to UMD’s zero, but were unable to convert. It was still 2-2 at the end of the first extra frame. The second was more of the same, with the Orange outshooting the Terrapins 3-0, but having no points to show for it.
At last, it was time for shootouts. The ‘Cuse started hot with back-to-back goals from Charlotte de Vries and Eefke van den Nieuwenhof while the Terps missed their first two tries. Then they swapped, with Maryland rattling off two in a row and Syracuse missing. Both sides were unsuccessful on their fifth attempts, so even the shootout needed more. The Terrapins went first and Hope Rose scored. Suddenly, it was up to de Vries to keep SU’s season alive. The senior dribbled in and backed down UMD’s netminder, before turning and firing wide left.
That was it. Officially the end to Syracuse’s 2022 campaign. The Orange finished 16-6, their highest win total in seven years. The ‘Cuse were also top-eight in every offensive category. With four of its five leading scorers graduating, the offseason should be interesting for Ange Bradley and Co.
