No. 13 Syracuse Soars Past No. 8 Louisville, 4-1
By Max Gifford | @GiffMD
No. 13 Syracuse field hockey never let its foot off the attack all evening long in the Derby City to take down No. 8 Louisville, 4-1. The win marks the Orange’s first top-10 victory of the season.
After dropping its two prior contests for the first time since 2021, SU wasted no time getting on the scoreboard. The ‘Cuse had four shots, including an APC chance in the first 4 minutes of the contest. Just a little bit later, Hattie Madden would pick up the trash on a goalmouth scramble to help Syracuse draw first blood.
With a one-score lead after 15, the Orange would take advantage of a Rylie Wollerton yellow card for Louisville as after two consecutive APC chances, Cato Schreinemacher capitalized on a third straight corner opportunity after inserting the penalty corner on a beautifully drawn-up play by Lynn Farquhar.
Out of the halftime huddle, SU blew the game wide open after Pieke van de Pas put home her ninth and tenth goals of the season, respectfully. The ‘Cuse held the Cards without a shot until the 50th minute of the contest and were leading that margin 14-0 before that.
The Cardinals would grab one back after the offense showed some urgency in the final frame and Julie Kouijzer broke through on a penalty corner. Louisville had been 0/36 on APC chances up to that point.
The four scores for the Orange marked the most goals goalkeeper Merlijn van der Vegt and the Cards had allowed all season long. On the flip side, SU’s redshirt freshman Abby Neitch showed out in what was a “game-time decision” for Coach Farquhar to go to the backup. The netminder picked up her first career win thanks in part to four fourth-quarter saves.
Syracuse concludes its regular season road slate on a high note and has one more home game to play next Friday against Wake Forest with first push set for 4 p.m.
