Fifth-seeded Syracuse field hockey tops fourth-seeded UVA in the first round of the ACC tournament

The number 13 is commonly associated with bad luck. Yet, for fifth seeded Syracuse field hockey, that couldn’t be further from the truth. Coming into this contest, SU had fallen at the hands of fourth seeded Virginia 12 straight times. Yet today, in the 13th contest between the two sides, the orange finally prevailed, taking down the Cavaliers one nothing. It was a complete performance from the top down for SU and it all started with a first half goal from Lana Hamilton. 

I think we’ve worked a lot on connecting with our ACM and our forwards. So I think just that connection with Willie I had when she had the ball, I knew that she was going to look for the pass up, so I just found the opening, and I just so happem to be in front of the goal. And I mean, I shot once I missed, but then I laid out for the second and I got it in 

After a dominant first half of offense, the orange defense kept things going in the second half, SU as a team stopped eight APCs on the day, and goaltender Louis Pert had six saves, guiding SU to victory. 

Our press was good. Midfields was good, our screens, and then our back defense was amazing. So we really had some points that we wanted to stick with and stay home, and we did those roles perfectly defensively. So it made my life incredibly easy. 

The win marks SU’s first ACC semifinal tournament appearance under head coach Lynn Farquhar. The road to the championship is not easy though. Syracuse matches up against top seeded North Carolina tomorrow at one. The orange were thrashed five nothing by the Tar Heels in the regular season. Reporting from Winston-Salem, Dan Shalam, Citrus TV.