Syracuse Loses Second Straight Match to Open Season
By Trey Redfield
CitrusTV’s Women’s Soccer Beat Reporter
Syracuse Women’s Soccer looked like my golf game today. Strong in the first half, but a steep decline in the second. The Orange fell to Louisville at Lynn Stadium, 3-0, unable to find the back of the net once again. SU moves to 0-2-0 in both conference and overall play. UL improves to 2-1-0 in both conference and overall play.
It took a little while for the offense to get rolling, but Louisville almost struck early. The Cardinals almost prevailed on a corner kick, hitting the left post in the tenth minute. After that, it was Syracuse knocking on the door, constantly. In the 31st minute, midfielder Olivia Erlbeck shot high after a great setup by her teammates just inside the box. This was later followed in the 36th minute by forward Meghan Root sneaking into the box to get off a great shot saved by Louisville goalkeeper Gabby Kouzelos. Two minutes later, freshman forward Aysia Cobb had a shot off the right post from 18 yards out. Midfielder Stephanie delaForcade looked like she scored off the rebound, but was called offside by the line judge. This was the Orange’s closest opportunity to getting on the board for the first time this season, as the game was scoreless at the half.
As the second half kicked off, Louisville broke through immediately. Freshman forward Jessica De Filippo was the first to break through for the Cardinals off of midfielder Emina Ekic’s corner kick. Ekic would get two of her own not far after. The hometown senior tacked on her first goal in the 51st minute with a beautiful cut to her left side, leaving two Syracuse defenders out to dry in the box. She followed that up with another one of her own in the 59th minute, off a beautiful through ball from Delaney Spencer. Ekic now has four goals in three games for the Cardinals. Not only did Louisville control most of the second half, but the Cardinals quadrupled the Orange in shots, by a tally of 19 to 4.
Even in the significant defeat, Syracuse looked a lot stronger in the first half today, in comparison to two weeks ago at Pitt. The Orange notched seven shots in the first 45 minutes, more tripling their first-half total at Pitt. The defense looked strong, as well in the first half. SU goalkeeper Lysianne Proulx was hardly attacked by the Cardinal offense, not having to save a single shot on goal.
Coach Adams’ bunch will not have as much time to rest up this time around. The Orange hit the road once again to take on conference foe Notre Dame in South Bend on Sunday. Kickoff is set for noon.
dwredfie@syr.edu | @Trey_Redfield
