For the first time since last October, Syracuse was shut out.

Despite multiple shot attempts, the Orange (4-2-1) did not find an opportunity to score on Thursday evening. Colgate (2-4-0), with an early goal, kept the Orange at bay in a 1-0 win at SU Soccer Stadium.

“I didn’t think we were as technically sharp as we have been the rest of the season,” SU head coach Phil Wheddon said. “We were trying to force passes at times. We gave up possession of the ball fairly easily, and they came in with a physical presence in the first half and we didn’t.”

SU knew Colgate would be dangerous when it came to long-range shots. The Orange tried putting pressure on the Colgate forwards but one slipped through. Mara Cosentino found the ball passed by teammate Emily Crichlow. Her foot made contact and flew diagonally across the net, burying the ball into the back corner.

“I tried to get there in time,” SU senior goalkeeper Courtney Brosnan said, “but it didn’t happen.”

Brosnan tallied three saves, more than her last two games combined. Colgate’s Kelly Chiavaro saved six SU shots. 

One of those saves came late in the second half, after SU senior Alana O’Neil lined up for a free kick. Outside the box on the far left, O’Neil arced the ball to the crowd of Syracuse and Colgate players standing in front of the net. As the ball began to fall into the crowd, Chiavaro ran out of the goal with her arms outstretched and grabbed it before it reached Syracuse players.  

“We didn’t necessarily test the goalkeeper a whole lot,” Wheddon said. “A lot of the balls she ended up getting her hands on were services into the box that were too close to the goalkeeper.”

Syracuse shot six corner kicks, five of which were taken by Sydney Brackett. Colgate outshot SU 10-9. U led in fouls, with 10, to Colgate’s seven. 

“I think we needed to keep a cool head,” SU senior forward Alex Lamontagne said, “and not commit as many

Brackett had a nifty shot in the middle of the first half. At the edge of the right side of the box, Brackett knocked the ball in the direction of the back corner of the net. It appeared the ball would roll past Chiavaro and put SU on the board, but it rolled parallel to the net and out of bounds.

Midway through the first half, Colgate’s Eliza Doll fired the ball from the far boundary line, over the players in the box and to the top middle of the net. As it passed over the box, Brosnan jumped with her arms outstretched and caught the ball for the save. 

But that did not undo the early Colgate damage.

“Maybe we underestimated them because of their record coming into this game,” Wheddon said. “We underestimated them. It’s a mistake that won’t happen again.”

Published on September 7, 2017 at 11:23 pm

Contact Kaci: klwasile@syr.edu