Spring Break
The Daily OrangeFH | UConn hands No. 1 SU first loss of season
By Conor Orr
Posted: 10/20/08, 4:57 AM EST Section: Sports
It was a position Syracuse hadn't found itself in this year. With one minute remaining in the first half, losing by one goal, Orange head coach Ange Bradley was forced to throw everything she had at No. 9 Connecticut.
Clenching her fists, the coach screamed "Lets Go!" as she paced the sidelines, putting the No.1 Orange into a full-field press and attack offense, an agent of desperation for a team used to steamrolling its opponents.
The Orange got one more chance to shift the momentum heading into the second half of its 1-0 loss to UConn after drawing a corner. But just like the Huskies had done all game, they pestered, frustrated and ultimately stopped the Orange, as UConn defender Katie Semanoff busted through a seam and deflected midfielder Shannon Taylor's attempt on goal.
Syracuse went into halftime knowing it needed to find a way to break down the UConn defense. The Orange never found a solution, dropping its first game of the season to Connecticut Saturday at J.S. Coyne Stadium in front of 862 fans. Just days earlier, Syracuse (15-1, 3-1 Big East) had moved up to No. 1 in the nation, becoming the first women's program in Syracuse history to be ranked first in a national poll.
"The ball just didn't fall for us today," a somber Bradley said following the loss. "Connecticut has a tradition, they're the Big East champions and they're not reigning Big East champs for nothing. But my kids will learn from that, evaluate, and we'll get there, don't worry."
Syracuse came out in the second half determined to forget about the first half, but instead succumbed to a game in which nothing seemed to go right.
Five minutes into the game, Anne-Sophie Van der Post received a pass off a corner attempt, made a cut toward the middle of the cage and buried a wide-open shot, appearing to tie the game for the Orange.
But as the team celebrated the game-tying goal, the officials emerged from a huddle well after the goal and called the score off because the shot hit a foot. A shot is only allowed to hit another stick. The call drained the momentary surge of momentum for the Orange.
Clenching her fists, the coach screamed "Lets Go!" as she paced the sidelines, putting the No.1 Orange into a full-field press and attack offense, an agent of desperation for a team used to steamrolling its opponents.
The Orange got one more chance to shift the momentum heading into the second half of its 1-0 loss to UConn after drawing a corner. But just like the Huskies had done all game, they pestered, frustrated and ultimately stopped the Orange, as UConn defender Katie Semanoff busted through a seam and deflected midfielder Shannon Taylor's attempt on goal.
Syracuse went into halftime knowing it needed to find a way to break down the UConn defense. The Orange never found a solution, dropping its first game of the season to Connecticut Saturday at J.S. Coyne Stadium in front of 862 fans. Just days earlier, Syracuse (15-1, 3-1 Big East) had moved up to No. 1 in the nation, becoming the first women's program in Syracuse history to be ranked first in a national poll.
"The ball just didn't fall for us today," a somber Bradley said following the loss. "Connecticut has a tradition, they're the Big East champions and they're not reigning Big East champs for nothing. But my kids will learn from that, evaluate, and we'll get there, don't worry."
Syracuse came out in the second half determined to forget about the first half, but instead succumbed to a game in which nothing seemed to go right.
Five minutes into the game, Anne-Sophie Van der Post received a pass off a corner attempt, made a cut toward the middle of the cage and buried a wide-open shot, appearing to tie the game for the Orange.
But as the team celebrated the game-tying goal, the officials emerged from a huddle well after the goal and called the score off because the shot hit a foot. A shot is only allowed to hit another stick. The call drained the momentary surge of momentum for the Orange.
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