A High Stakes Final Two Weeks of Play
By: Dan Shalam | @Dan_Shalam
With just three games left on the calendar for 12th-ranked Syracuse field hockey, there is no room for mistakes. The Orange currently sit at 10-4 overall, and 4-3 in ACC play. SU has just one conference game left on the schedule. That being against ninth-ranked Boston College. So what’s left on the docket for Syracuse, and what’s still looming large with just nine days left to go in the regular season? Let’s dive into all of that and more.
3(4)-2(3) loss @ #4 Virginia
This is a loss that Orange will come to think about a lot if they bow out early into the ACC tournament. Last Friday presented a huge opportunity for Syracuse to have a shot at being a top-four team in the conference tournament. Early into the game, all was going according to plan. SU’s Berber Bakermans put the squad up 1-0 in the first half, and UVA was looking quite offensively. The Cavaliers would tie the game at one just four minutes into the second half, but in the 40th minute, the Orange would come right back to a 2-1 lead. Just four minutes away from beating Virginia for the first time in 11 tries, Syracuse surrendered a score sending the game to OT. SU’s Aiden Drabick nearly won the game in the last minute of double overtime but rang a shot off the post. In penalty strokes, the Orange were lucky to be alive, missing their first three shots. Syracuse would even take a 3-2 lead in the 6th round.
Yet, back-to-back scores by UVA sent SU home losers for the 12th straight time against Virginia. The defeat marked SU’s second loss in strokes this year, with the other coming against #10 Duke. With that said, there is still hope for the Orange to make significant headway in their last three matches.
Syracuse @ Bucknell
Changing the momentum all starts tonight against the Bison. Following a 1-0 stroke loss to the Blue Devils, the Orange went on to win four straight games, three of those being against ranked foes. SU can try and ignite that streak tonight against an 8-6 Bucknell squad that hasn’t won a ranked game all season. History is also on Syracuse’s side, with the Orange taking down the Bison in every matchup but one in 12 games. SU hasn’t had an “easy” game in a long time. In the last six matchups, the Orange have squared off against five ranked squads, and four ACC teams. A dominant game against a less experienced Bucknell side could just be what Syracuse needs to finish the season strong.
Syracuse @ #8 UCONN
This is where things really start to get interesting. Syracuse finishes off the regular season against two top-ten teams, starting with the Huskies on Sunday. UCONN ranks eighth in the nation and in RPI. That means SU is without a doubt going against an NCAA-bound team. The Orange took down the Huskies handedly at home last year 3-0. Along with that, SU is winner of three straight over UCONN. Syracuse needs some of that same momentum come Sunday. A win against the Huskies would do wonders for the squad and take some pressure off of the season finale against BC.
Syracuse vs. #9 Boston College
This is by and far away the biggest game of the year for Syracuse. As of right now, the Orange are in a similar position to last year’s squad. Heading into the final day of play in 2023, SU was ranked 10th in the nation and sitting at 2-3 in the ACC. Similar to where Syracuse is this year, the Orange were chasing a top-four spot in the conference. SU surprisingly lost in penalty strokes to Wake Forest, the worst team in the ACC in penalty strokes giving the Orange the five seed in the conference tournament. This year, Syracuse is going to need another if it wants to make a push at the top four, or just stay in the five seed.
With the expanded eight-team playoff in the ACC, anything could happen down the stretch. SU’s hopes of getting a top-four seed in the tournament could very well come down to the final day. What doesn’t help Syracuse is that Boston College is a perfect 5-0 in the ACC, tied for the first spot in the conference. However, the Orange have won four straight against the Eagles. Head coach Lynn Farquhar’s squad will need some of that magic and a little bit more help inside in the conference to make their ACC tournament path somewhat easier.
Regardless of a win against BC, Syracuse needs to win two out of the next three to not crash out of the top 15. If that were to happen, SU would need a deep ACC tournament run to have a shot at cracking the NCAA tournament.
