0 is for Orange- Syracuse Shut Out for Fourth Consecutive Match
By Tom Russo
CitrusTV Women’s Soccer Beat Reporter
QUEENS, N.Y.- The last time the Syracuse Orange (2-4, 0-0 Atlantic Coast) scored a goal, it was August 29th. The team had completed a 3-0 stomping of Siena (0-5-1, 0-0 Metro Atlantic Athletic). The Nicky Adams era was off to a 2-0 start. SU was outscoring opponents 4-0. It looked as though the Orange had turned a page after their 3-15 campaign last season.
But that was then, and this is now. Now Syracuse has gone from shutting opponents out, to being shut out. SU went down to Queens to face off with an old Big East rival. St Johns (2-5, 0-0 Big East) claims the moniker of “New York’s College Team” riding a streak of three consecutive shutouts.
St. Johns staked their claim and extended that streak of shutouts to four with a 1-0 victory over the Orange.
The Red Storm defense silence the Orange offense all night, as any promising attack was promptly snuffed out almost the moment SU crossed into the attacking third.
The play was disjointed, as shown in the first 60 minutes where the Orange forwards could not string a pair of passes together.
Once the rain and wind picked up in the final third of the game, Syracuse finally began to move the ball forward with some accuracy, but the play still inevitably fizzled out once the Orange reached the 18.
Syracuse launched eight shots, but only three of them were on frame, as accuracy issues continue to plague the Orange. All three shots that did find the frame were directly at the Johnnies keeper.
Ironically, the biggest challenge Naya Lipkens faced was a shot from Clarke Brown in the 62nd minute. A chance that was taken from at least 40 yards away, and was straight into Lipkens’ arms.
The Johnnies, for their part, kept the pressure on Lysianne Proulx all night, forcing a few more spectacular saves from the Syracuse keeper. Multiple times Proulx came well off her line and sacrificed her body to break up a seemingly relentless Red Storm attack.
However, Proulx could not stop Samantha Masur’s brilliant half volley that was chipped right over Proulx’s head in the 18th minute. The goal came on a pass from Michelle Money, who put the ball right on the money with the beautiful floater dropped into the box from 30 yards out. The goal would prove to be the decider.
Syracuse mercifully returns home on Sunday, bringing an end to a goalless four-game road trip. Sunday’s match will be the final one before conference play. The Orange will host another New York City-based opponent, Fordham (1-4-1, 0-0 Atlantic 10). Kickoff will be at 1:00 pm, at which point the hunt for the first goal of September will resume.
twrusso@syr.edu ǀ @TomRusso24
