No. 1 Syracuse Edges No. 11 Field Hockey 2-1

Friday, October 9

LOUISVILLE, KY

6:00 PM

University of Louisville

(7-5, 0-5ACC)

SYRACUSE

(12-0, 4-0ACC)

Louisville

October 09, 2015 | Field Hockey

Box Score

Cards fall short against No. 1 Syracuse

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The 11^th-ranked University of Louisville field hockey team fell to top-ranked Syracuse 2-1 in an ACC matchup Friday evening at Trager Stadium.

"We were in the game," said UofL head coach Justine Sowry. "To be able to compete with the number one team in the country – we were able to do that. We ran with them. Certainly it was a very even game statistically and it was end-to-end hockey. It's good that our emotion can really fuel us to play. As you get later in the game, you can't let that emotion tip over the edge to make poor decisions defensively or get frustrated on attack, because we still had those opportunities and we weren't composed or poised enough to be able to execute, so that was the difference today. I'm really proud of the way we competed and we should have confidence that we can compete with the best in the country."

The Orange (12-0, 4-0 ACC) got on the scoreboard just over four minutes into the game when Serra Degnan dribbled the ball to the right side of the circle and sent a feed to the middle of the circle where Alma Fenne was positioned. Fenne collected the ball and sent a shot into the middle of the cage and ricocheted off of Louisville's freshman goalkeeper Ayeisha McFerran's glove to give Syracuse a 1-0 lead.

The Cardinals' defense settled in and the teams continued to battle throughout the first half. Louisville had a chance to even the score when back-to-back penalty corners were called as the clock expired to end the half. Louisville fired off three shots, but Syracuse's Jess Jecko stopped all three to end the half. '

Syracuse took the 1-0 lead into halftime after the teams were even with five shots apiece and Louisville held a 4-2 edge in penalty corners.

The Cards broke through on their first corner of the second half. Senior Katharine Gwynne-Wood inserted the ball and senior Megan Anstotz provided the stop for senior Elisa Garcia who sent a shot into the cage. Her fourth goal of the season tied the game at 1-1 with 13:16 left on the clock.

With 5:21 left in regulation, Syracuse was awarded a penalty stroke and Roos Weers put the Orange back on top when she sent a shot that glanced off of past McFerran's outstretched stick.

The game was hotly-contested with a total of seven cards being issued between the teams including five in the second half. With just under four minutes left to play, a yellow card was issued to Syracuse's Erin Gillingham which left the Orange down a player for the remainder of the game, but the Cardinals were unable to get a shot on goal and the Orange prevailed 2-1.

In the game, Syracuse outshot Louisville 9-7 while the Cardinals held a 5-2 advantage in penalty corners.
McFerran (7-5) had four saves in the loss while Jecko (12-0) also had four stops.

Louisville (7-5, 0-4 ACC) will take a break from ACC play when the Cards travel to Ohio State for a Sunday matchup.