It didn’t take long to identify Syracuse’s offensive philosophy against the Terrapin women’s lacrosse team Saturday — or see that it may serve as a blueprint for success for future opponents against the defending national champion.
And while it may have produced some exceedingly boring lacrosse for spectators in the Terps’ eventual 7-5 win, the No. 16 Orange’s stalling strategy certainly forced its hosts into their most competitive game this season.
Trailing 3-2 with 10:09 remaining in the first half, the Orange sauntered into the Terps’ defensive zone. For the next nine minutes, its attackers and midfielders proceeded to pass from player to player, refusing to take the ball to net and risk turning it over. The protracted possession gave whole new meaning to the “hold for one” directive that often comes before halftime.
The No. 1 Terps, however, forced a turnover with 57 seconds left and wasted no time moving the ball upfield. Fifteen seconds later, attacker Sarah Mollison connected with attacker Kristy Black, who scored the team’s decisive fourth goal at the Field Hockey & Lacrosse Complex.
“It’s something we’ve seen before. It is what it is,” coach Cathy Reese said. “It doesn’t really create much for exciting lacrosse to watch. However, our team, we just needed to make sure that we were mentally checked in and focused and were able to come up with turnovers when the opportunity arose.”
After winning the game’s first draw control, the Orange established the contest’s tempo with a possession that lasted nearly seven minutes. Midfielder Catherine Rodriguez capped the sequence with her second goal of the season in a first half that featured two ties and a lot of passing.
Despite crisp ball movement by Syracuse that led to three first-half possessions of at least six minutes, the Terps (7-0) never lost their composure. The contrasting pace of the two offenses was reinforced when Mollison and midfielder Katie Schwarzmann responded with equalizing goals less than a minute after each of the Orange’s first two scores.
The team never trailed after Schwarzmann found midfielder Brandi Jones on a backdoor cut that she converted with 14:44 left in the first half to give the Terps a 3-2 edge.
“Very frustrating, but a win’s a win, so we’re excited we’re moving forward,” attacker Karri Ellen Johnson said. “We’re going to be prepared for this type of ‘stalling game.’ It was good experience.”
Syracuse (1-3) had two weeks to prepare for the match, and it showed. Coach Gary Gait, who served as an assistant for the Terp women’s lacrosse team for nine seasons, acknowledged afterward that he implemented the tactic to “give [his team] a chance to win [the] game.”
As a result, the Orange turned in its best performance of the season, according to Gait, and limited the Terps to 20 shots, 15 below their season average.
Two of the best goalkeepers in the nation were also on display, as Liz Hogan stopped nine shots for Syracuse, while Brittany Dipper had five saves for the Terps. Hogan repeatedly ventured out of the cage for the Orange — as far as midfield on one occasion — in what was another indication of the contrasting styles of play of the two squads.
The Terps resume ACC play Sunday, when they travel north to face No. 14 Boston College.
castello@umdbk.com
