Spring Break
The Daily OrangeFH | SU loses; still makes postseason
By Zach Zagger
Posted: 10/22/07, 12:12 AM EST Section: Sports
Sunday was a day of mixed emotions for the Syracuse field hockey team.
No. 6 Connecticut (16-2, 4-1) rolled over No. 18 Syracuse (12-5, 3-3) in Sunday's game, 5-2, dominating on offense and shutting down the Orange attack. But despite the loss, SU secured a spot in the Big East tournament at Coyne Field on Nov. 3-4.
After the game, SU head coach Ange Bradley pulled her seniors aside for a half an hour after the other players went into the locker room. She tried to keep their minds focused on the future, to forget the day's loss and just be focused on the tournament ahead.
"She was trying to get a smile on our faces because we made the Big East tournament, and everybody's down because we lost the game," senior Gloria Nantulya said. "And she was trying to remind us that, you know what, we might not have gotten in the way we wanted to, but we made the tournament."
In order to secure its spot in the tournament after Sunday's loss, the Orange needed a little help, and that is exactly what it got. Providence defeated Villanova, 3-0, to force a tie between Villanova and the Orange. SU has the tiebreaker because of a win in their head-to-head matchup.
Syracuse finished its Big East schedule with a record of 3-3, but now it has to take what it can from the recent loss and focus on the rest of the regular season and the Big East tournament in two weeks.
The Orange fell behind early when junior Lauren Aird scored for the Huskies on a redirection of a free hit just outside the circle 12 minutes into the game. Connecticut kept up the pressure and Aird scored again when she launched a high shot over SU goalkeeper Heather Hess's left shoulder in the 24th minute.
Less than a minute later, Nantulya scored for the Orange when she knocked a rebound off the Connecticut goalkeeper. It was her 11th of the season. But Syracuse couldn't keep the momentum and allowed a goal late in the half to give Connecticut a two-goal lead going into halftime.
No. 6 Connecticut (16-2, 4-1) rolled over No. 18 Syracuse (12-5, 3-3) in Sunday's game, 5-2, dominating on offense and shutting down the Orange attack. But despite the loss, SU secured a spot in the Big East tournament at Coyne Field on Nov. 3-4.
After the game, SU head coach Ange Bradley pulled her seniors aside for a half an hour after the other players went into the locker room. She tried to keep their minds focused on the future, to forget the day's loss and just be focused on the tournament ahead.
"She was trying to get a smile on our faces because we made the Big East tournament, and everybody's down because we lost the game," senior Gloria Nantulya said. "And she was trying to remind us that, you know what, we might not have gotten in the way we wanted to, but we made the tournament."
In order to secure its spot in the tournament after Sunday's loss, the Orange needed a little help, and that is exactly what it got. Providence defeated Villanova, 3-0, to force a tie between Villanova and the Orange. SU has the tiebreaker because of a win in their head-to-head matchup.
Syracuse finished its Big East schedule with a record of 3-3, but now it has to take what it can from the recent loss and focus on the rest of the regular season and the Big East tournament in two weeks.
The Orange fell behind early when junior Lauren Aird scored for the Huskies on a redirection of a free hit just outside the circle 12 minutes into the game. Connecticut kept up the pressure and Aird scored again when she launched a high shot over SU goalkeeper Heather Hess's left shoulder in the 24th minute.
Less than a minute later, Nantulya scored for the Orange when she knocked a rebound off the Connecticut goalkeeper. It was her 11th of the season. But Syracuse couldn't keep the momentum and allowed a goal late in the half to give Connecticut a two-goal lead going into halftime.
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