Syracuse Women’s Soccer Season Preview
By Hudson Ridley | @Hudson_Ridley
After 294 days, Syracuse Women’s Soccer is finally back. While today marks the start of SU’s 2023 regular season campaign, there has been plenty on and off the pitch that should have fans excited for the fall.
This season will be Nicky Thrasher Adams’ fifth at the helm of this SU squad. In 2022, Adams coached the Orange to their first winning season of her tenure, finishing at 8-7-3, including a 6-3-2 record at SU soccer stadium. Prior to last fall, the ‘Cuse hadn’t put together a winning season in a decade. Not only did the Orange break that marker, but they did it with some stellar young talent.
Of that young core that SU has built, the two biggest names to look out for will be forward Erin Flurey and goalkeeper Shea Vanderbosch. Flurey is Syracuse’s top returning goal scorer after the departure of Chelsea Domond. The red-shirt sophomore racked up four goals and an assist in 13 starts last year, but she looks primed to blaze past those numbers this fall. Flurey tallied three goals and two assists in SU’s first two preseason contests against St. Bonaventure and UAlbany.
The story of Vanderbosh was everywhere last season. The goalkeeper started her Freshman season buried on the depth chart and rose quickly to become Nicky Adams’ go-to in net. The Lancaster, New York native would go on to start in 15 of the 16 games she played, showing tremendous upside between the woodwork.
Other names to watch out for include the heart of this ‘Cuse team, the seniors. Five seniors are returning to this SU squad. Namely Kate Murphy, Aysia Cobb, Zoe Van de Cloot, Raia James, and Hannah Pilley. Last year Murphy led the way on the stat sheet for the class of 2024 with a goal and three assists. Pilley can also contribute on the offensive end, scoring a goal in both preseason matches.
The biggest lingering question is will Erin Flurey step up and perform better than Chelsea Domond last season. Much of the offense ran through Dommond, who tallied a team-leading five goals. Now most of the production falls squarely on the shoulders of Flurey if SU wants to make it back-to-back winning seasons.
The other potential threat to Syracuse is the demanding road schedule for the 2023 season. The Orange will play 11 of their 18 fixtures away from SU Soccer Stadium. Despite having a winning record the previous season, the Cuse went just 2-4-1 on the road. Those two wins were the first time the Orange secured two road victories in a single season since 2018.
Nicky Thrasher Adams has pulled Syracuse Women’s Soccer from the depths of the ACC to now being a threat to everyone in the conference. Now in just her fifth year, with a solid core of young players, it seems like only the beginning for this squad.
SU takes on Delaware today at 6:00 p.m. to open the season. The Orange then hit the road again to take on Sienna on August 20 before returning to SU Soccer Stadium on August 24 to face Auburn in this year’s home opener.
