No. 6 Syracuse Downed in Durham by No. 9 Duke, 4-0
By Max Gifford | @GiffMD
Lynn Farquhar and No. 6 Syracuse field hockey have been on Cloud Nine after winning five straight to start the 2023 season. With a chance to clinch the best start to a new coach’s tenure in program history, the Orange whimpered in their first ACC matchup, getting shut out by No. 9 Duke, 4-0.
The win broke some long skids for Duke which included its first ACC matchup win since April of 2021, its first home win against Syracuse ever, and its first conference shutout match since 2019.
SU was bested in nearly every facet of gameplay but managed to keep things close until the fourth quarter. The 2-0 ‘Cuse deficit at halftime was the team’s first time this season being down after the first half of play. Both of Duke’s goals in the first half hour came on second-chance shots right in reach of Syracuse netminder Brooke Borzymowski. Coincidentally, each of the Blue Devils’ scores in the first was by its team captains, both of whom just returned from injury.
Duke drew first blood on a baseline cross by Megan Maransky which gave Barb Civitella a fancy deflection and pop into the top left corner right on the doorstep of the net. Later in the second, off an APC chance, Duke rung a shot off the right post, but Charlie van Oirschot got there to pick up the trash and put up a crooked number for the Blue Devils.
Doing the other half of the scoring for the Dukies was Alaina McVeigh, who now leads the ACC in goals with 8. The sophomore gave Duke two insurance scores just five minutes apart in the fourth quarter, which included an incredible backhanded shot from the top of the circle over the shoulder of goalkeeper Brooke Borzymowski.
Syracuse was doubled in shots (12-6) with its keeper Borzymowski only saving three of those Blue Devils shots. Prior to the contest, the Orange had only allowed an average of 3.8 shots per game. Additionally, Syracuse had three corners to Duke’s four, but could not manage an APC chance after the first quarter.
With the win, Duke picked up its third top-10 victory this season which is the most for the Blue Devils since 2019. The ‘Cuse gets its first blemish of 2023, but they’re right back to J.S. Coyne Stadium for Sunday matinee in their first-ever meeting against Wagner. First push is at noon.
