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With just 5:17 remaining in the fourth quarter of No. 15 Syracuse’s game against No. 14 Princeton, Bo van Kempen did what she does best. The defender lined up at the top of the shooting circle with Lottie Summers ready for the insertion.

Summers lined the ball to Annabelle Vossenaar, who trapped it for van Kempen. She stuck her foot into the ground and, with immense power, slotted the ball right past Princeton’s Robyn Thompson to give SU a 2-1 lead.

No. 15 Syracuse (8-3, 2-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) defeated No. 14 Princeton (6-4, 3-0 Ivy League) 2-1 Sunday, after defeating No. 16 Louisville 2-1 Friday. It marked SU’s first weekend with two ranked wins since Sept. 30 and Oct. 2, 2022.

As the game began, Syracuse’s offense took no time applying pressure. On one of SU’s first offensive sequences, Taja Gans got a steal before passing the ball off to Bo Madden. On the fast break, Madden entered the shooting circle and found Willemijn Boogert, who slotted home her third goal of the season.

“It’s absolutely amazing how we scored that early on in a game,” Boogert said postgame. “We talked about (immediate pressure) before (the game). We just want to strike early, strike hard.”

Syracuse retained possession for a large majority of the first quarter. When the Tigers had the ball, Gans and Berber Bakermans consistently forced quick turnovers.

The Orange received another scoring opportunity with just one minute remaining in the first frame. Syracuse earned its second penalty corner, but after the insertion, the ball was deflected by a Princeton defender before bouncing to Hattie Madden, who missed wide.

With 8:29 remaining in the second, it seemed as though Princeton would get on the board following a sloppy pass by Boogert. The Tigers pushed down the field with a fast break before Gans came in to break up the pressure.

“I think (Gans) is just a special person,” SU head coach Lynn Farquhar said. “Her hockey is outstanding. It’s her trusting the process and being willing to learn from the people around her.”

Syracuse’s backline continued to hold firm, slowing down the ball and obtaining control in times of attack. In the first half, the Orange allowed just four shots and four corners, continuing their streak of giving opposing squads limited chances.

“Our defensive unit as a whole has really been stepping up,” Farquhar said. “The energy (goaltender Louise Pert) injects into the defensive unit plays for something bigger.”

With a one-goal lead heading into the second half, Syracuse persisted in its defensive control, though, Princeton found itself entering SU’s attacking quarter more often. The Tigers had two penalty corners in the first minute of the third quarter. The first one was blocked by Bo before Princeton’s Anna Faulstich shot wide left.

Immediately after Syracuse’s defensive penalty corner unit held strong, the Orange lost Boogert to a green card. As a result, Princeton pressed SU’s shorthanded defense.

Just 30 seconds after Boogert returned, Princeton tied the game. Beth Yeager, Princeton’s leading goal-scorer, pushed around the right side of the shooting circle with two SU defenders in her area. Still, Yeager slotted one past Pert as her reach couldn’t quite corral the ball.

Syracuse bounced back, though. The Orange had more extensive opportunities later in the third as they received two more corners. Unlike the expected attack of van Kempen, Syracuse went to Bakermans and Boogert to attempt to regain the lead. On Boogert’s attempt, she lost control while Bakermans’ shot was saved by Thompson.

Despite the unsuccessful corners, Syracuse was back in control. Starting the fourth, two more of SU’s players received penalty cards, leaving the Orange with nine players versus Princeton’s 11. Still, the backline held strong.

“I think we just gave that extra push, that extra energy (following Princeton’s goal),” Boogert said. “We all had to step up and everyone did their roles so well.”

Following more significant stops by Syracuse’s defensive penalty corner unit, the Orange had a chance to take a late lead. After a last-second block from a Princeton defender, SU received a penalty corner opportunity.

This time, Syracuse went with van Kempen to put the game away. On assists from Summers and Vossenaar, van Kempen sealed the 2-1 victory.

“(Van Kempen’s) a great person to step up,” Farquhar said. “She does it for her team and it’s pretty amazing.”

Published on October 6, 2024 at 4:22 pm

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