Graduate student goalkeeper Delaney Sweitzer — who spent the past three seasons with Syracuse’s women’s lacrosse program — is no stranger to winning in the JMA Wireless Dome, where the Orange call home.
No. 3 Northwestern, however, entered Tuesday’s clash with No. 6 Syracuse hoping to break a nearly 13-year losing streak in the Salt City.
Propelled by four first-quarter goals, the Wildcats (5-1, 0-0 Big Ten) never trailed in their first road game of the season, solidifying a 12-8 victory as coach Kelly Amonte Hiller’s squad won its first game in Orange (3-2, 0-1 ACC) territory since February 2012.
We came out strong, that was great,” Amonte Hiller said postgame. “We were able to really move the ball around, put our shots away, get some draw controls. … Defense really stood tall in the beginning of the game.”
Junior attacker Madison Taylor scored a team-high five goals, while senior midfielder Sam Smith snagged 10 draw controls. Eight players scored for the ’Cats Tuesday.
NU roared to a quick start as graduate student attacker Niki Miles found the back of the net just 37 seconds into the game. Meanwhile, the ’Cats’ zone defense appeared impenetrable, forcing four turnovers in the first frame as Syracuse failed to muster a shot on goal through fifteen minutes.
Taylor, who leads the team in goals this season, spent most of her time in the attack area with a Syracuse defender face-guarding her, meaning the ’Cats were forced to find other means of offensive production.
They did, with junior attacker Lucy Munro finding freshman midfielder Hannah Rudolph on a free position opportunity before goals from both redshirt sophomore attacker Abby LoCascio and sophomore attacker Alexis Ventresca extended the lead to 4-0.
After Sweitzer saved a point-blank free position shot by Syracuse’s Emma Ward, who logged three goals and three assists Tuesday, Smith added a goal with ten minutes remaining to make the score 5-0.
Sweitzer saved 46.7% of the shots she faced, making seven saves while allowing eight goals. She also logged three ground ball pickups.
“ This place is really special to me,” Sweitzer said postgame. “The dome holds a lot of memories. … Just coming in here and playing in this sick facility was just like such a cool opportunity to have again and, obviously, to come out with a win feels good.”
It took Syracuse 22 minutes to score its first goal, a testament to the work of NU’s defensive stalwarts. Graduate student defender Jane Hansen caused three turnovers and snagged four ground balls.
But the Orange corralled four consecutive draw controls in the second quarter, scoring three before halftime.
The ’Cats offense remained stagnant as the Orange cut the deficit to just one following a free position goal midway through the third quarter. It was time for Taylor to get going.
The junior attacker earned four free positions and converted three as her third-quarter hat trick, combined with a spin-cycle goal by graduate student attacker Riley Campbell, propelled NU to a 9-5 lead heading into the final frame.
“For some top players, that would get them really rattled,” Amonte Hiller said of the face-guard defense placed on Taylor. “I think she just stayed calm. She just let things come to her and didn’t really force too much. And when she had her opportunity, she took it.”
Though Syracuse drew closer, trailing just 10-8 with two minutes left and controlling possession, the ’Cats stood firm, preventing the Orange from taking a shot. Hansen made a key takeaway on the defensive end before finding Taylor in transition. She promptly buried the empty-net shot.
Then, after NU won the draw control, Taylor scored another empty-netter, delivering the proverbial dagger with her fifth goal of the game.
“ We just played with a lot of toughness out there,” Taylor said. “ I think that was a goal for us, just to try and stay consistent, tough, and play with a lot of heart throughout the whole game … I’m really happy that we did that.”
NU has a week off before taking on Marquette in Milwaukee on March 7.
Email: h.frieman@dailynorthwestern.com
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