Orange field hockey remains undefeated at home
Syracuse field hockey remains undefeated at home
The No.12 Syracuse Orange (14-3, 3-2 ACC) field hockey team finished the regular season undefeated at their home J.S. Coyne Stadium with a four to three victory over the No.19 Rutgers Scarlet Knights (7-8, 3-4 Big East), their ninth home win of the season.
“I am more focussed on we went undefeated on Coyne this season, and that hasn’t happened [since 2015],” Orange Head Coach Ange Bradley said. “So the fact that we give three, we found a way to score four and definitely we will tighten some things up. I am just so happy for this team and its a really special thing to go undefeated on your home field.”
The Orange offense was led by Sabine van den Eijnden who scored a goal and tallied an assist on her road to three points. Joy Haarman, Eefke van den Nieuwenhof, and Willemijn Boogert also got their names on the score sheet with a goal a piece. Charlotte de Vries and SJ Quigley each got an assist on the day.
“I think it was just right timing and right positioning,” Haarman said about her goal. “Also the connection was very good with the other forwards so it was an amazing ball from Char and I was in the right position to just tip it into the goal.”
The Orange defense struggled again as they allowed three goals after conceding two on Friday. Before Friday’s contest, the Orange had gone over five games without conceding at home. The Orange continue to share the lead in the nation with Liberty at nine shutouts but have recently had the issue of conceding shortly after they score, which happened again today after the Orange’s first goal.
“I am really happy, this weekend has been great,” Bradley said. “We really have not been in positions where we have been up, we have been down and when you get the opportunity to play that in competition that teaches you a lot about yourself.”
Today was also senior day as the Orange honored their ten senior and graduate students who had a very successful run at Syracuse. Those who entered in 2019 have been to two NCAA tournaments and are most likely on their way to a third. Last year they also had the chance to play in the ACC tournament at home in front of their fans at J.S. Coyne Stadium.
“I was very emotional before the game just because I have had a wonderful time here,” de Vries said. “This field and this place mean so much to me, so it was crazy that this was the last time I would play on this home field but good emotions, grateful.”
The Orange have one more game in the regular season where they will travel down to North Carolina to play Wake Forest on Friday, October 28th at five p.m. After that, they will play in the ACC tournament from November first to fourth in Durham, North Carolina.
“Well we have Wake Forest obviously they are gonna be a really tough team to play especially on there field so that is our first thing,” Bradley said. “We have got an opportunity to be second in the ACC which is a great opportunity for both teams going into next weekend both Wake and us so that is going to be a real battle.”
is a contributor for The NewsHouse.
