University of Massachusets Athletics
University of Massachusetts
(5-6)
Syracuse
(7-4)
Field Hockey Shuts Out #8 Syracuse, 2-0
October 03, 2010 | Field Hockey
Oct. 3, 2010
Box Score |
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AMHERST, Mass. - Jaime Bourazeris scored in the first half, Molly MacDonnell scored a second-half goal, and Alesha Widdall made 11 saves to lead UMass field hockey (5-6) to a 2-0 victory over No. 8 Syracuse (7-4) on Sunday afternoon at Garber Field. The win comes on Head Coach Justine Sowry's birthday and is the Minutewomen first win over the Orange since 1998, snaping a string of 12 Orange wins in the series.
The win served as a fitting birthday present to Sowry who had been 0-4 against Syracuse coming into the game.
No. 8 Syracuse is the second top 10 ranked Big East team the Minutewomen have upset in 2010. UMass defeated No. 4 Connecticut, 1-0 on Sept. 11, also at Garber Field.
Both UMass goals were set up on passes by Nicole Cordero, the first two assists of the sophomore forward's career.
Widdall made a season-high 11 saves in goal and made a spectacular diving stop on a penalty stroke by Syracuse's Martina Loncarica with 2:11 left in the game to keep the shutout. It is the junior's third shutout of the season and 16th of her career.
UMass applied pressure to the Orange from the start and the Minutewomen eventually took the lead with 4:51 left in the first half when Bourazeris tallied her second goal of the season. After a penalty corner, Cordero sent a pass across the crease to the senior who tipped it inside the left post.
UMass retained that 1-0 lead into second half until MacDonnell made it a 2-0 game when No. 17 scored with 17:17 to go in the game, the first goal of the freshman's career. The UMass defense quickly cleared the ball out of its zone following a Syracuse penalty corner when Cordero sent a long pass ahead to an open MacDonnell who blasted a shot between the legs of Orange goalie Leann Stiver on the breakaway.
Stiver finished with three saves for the Orange, while SU held a 23-11 advantage in shots and an 11-8 edge in penalty corners.
UMass' last win over Syracuse was on Oct. 13, 1998, 3-0 at Garber Field. Since then, the Orange had won 12 in a row over the Minutewomen.
The Minutewomen close a four-game homestand on Saturday when they host Saint Louis in their Atlantic 10 opener at 6 p.m. under the lights at Garber Field.
Team Stats
BOURAZERIS, Jaime (2)
Assisted By: CORDERO, Nicole
Tip in off corner
30:19
MacDONNELL, Molly (1)
Assisted By: CORDERO, Nicole
Break Away
52:45
