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Syracuse field hockey sweeps ACC newcomers in final home weekend showdowns

Syracuse field hockey sweeps ACC newcomers in final home weekend showdowns

Syracuse field hockey dominates ACC newcomers Stanford and California in key late-season home wins.

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Jack Henry
Golie Louise Pert and defender Nina van Asselen hug before their game versus Ohio State.

Syracuse women’s field hockey headed into an exciting weekend, hosting two ACC matchups against newcomers Stanford and California. These games mark the second-to-last home weekend of the regular season, with Syracuse facing both teams as conference opponents for the first time.

 Syracuse vs. Stanford:

No. 14 Syracuse welcomed Stanford to J.S. Coyne Stadium on Friday, Oct. 11. The last time the two teams faced off, the Orange defeated the Cardinal 4-0 in 2022.

 The Orange secured a dominant 3-0 win over Stanford. After a scoreless first period, Syracuse broke through with a goal by Lieke Leeggangers off a Bo van Kempen corner, giving the Orange a 1-0 lead.

Senior midfielder Willemijn Boogert added two more goals, the first coming late in the second period off an assist from Taja Gans, who intercepted a Stanford outlet pass. Boogert sealed the win in the fourth period with another shot from just inside the circle.

Stanford goalkeeper Daisy Ford made ten saves, and the Cardinal earned five penalty corners but couldn’t capitalize. Syracuse’s defense, anchored by Louise Pert and Vera Hekkenberg, secured their sixth shutout of the season and third in ACC play.

With this win, Syracuse improved to 5-1 at home. They continued their weekend against No. 18 California on Sunday, Oct. 13 at noon.

Syracuse vs. Cal:

Sunday’s game against Cal was the second meeting between the two teams in Syracuse and the first with both squads ranked in the national polls. The Orange and Golden Bears hadn’t faced off since 2019. No. 14 Syracuse secured a 2-1 overtime victory against Cal, with van Kempen scoring both goals, including the game-winner. 

 California took an early lead in the first quarter as Olivia Sharratt capitalized on a penalty corner. Syracuse struggled offensively in the first half but found the equalizer just before halftime, with van Kempen converting the Orange’s first corner opportunity. The teams battled through a scoreless second half before heading to overtime.

In overtime, Syracuse earned another penalty corner. Leeggangers inserted the ball to Berber Bakermans, setting up van Kempen for the game-winner. Van Kempen, who leads the team with 11 goals this season, has been a consistent scorer for the Orange. The victory marked Syracuse’s fourth consecutive win, completing a perfect four-game homestand and improving the team to 10-3 overall and 4-2 in ACC play.

Up Next:

 They marked their final home game at J.S. Coyne Stadium for October this weekend. The Orange now hit the road to face off against No. 5 Virginia in an ACC showdown on Friday, Oct. 18, at 3 p.m. Syracuse has not secured a victory against the Cavaliers since 2015. With a long-standing rivalry and Virginia’s current ranking, Syracuse aims to break their long-standing losing streak.