April 10, 2011
Syracuse, N.Y. – A lack of offensive firepower and several costly turnovers proved too much for the Notre Dame women’s lacrosse team on Sunday afternoon (April 10) as the Irish dropped a 12-7 decision to Syracuse at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse, N.Y.
With the loss, Notre Dame falls to 5-7 overall and 2-2 in BIG EAST play, while the Orange improve to 5-6 and remain undefeated in league with a 3-0 mark. The Irish also fell to 0-7 all-time against the Orange at Syracuse in the 16th meeting all-time against the two teams.
For the game, Notre Dame finished with 14 turnovers that included 11 in the second half. The seven goals by the Irish were the second fewest scored this season. Earlier in the campaign, Notre Dame scored just five in a 6-5 double overtime loss to Cornell on March 20.
Ansley Stewart led the Irish with one of her strongest offensive showings of the season as she scored three goals (all in the first half), while leading scorer Maggie Tamasitis finished with a goal and three assists. Kaitlyn Brosco also added a goal and an assist.
Syracuse was led by Katie Webster’s three goals and Michelle Tumulo’s two goals and an assist as the Orange put together their first two-game win streak of the season and had their second-highest scoring output of the year.
After trailing 8-5 at the break, Notre Dame was held to just two second-half scores as the Orange benefitted from strong goalkeeping and costly Irish turnovers.
Syracuse extended its second-half lead to 9-5 less than four minutes into the final 30-minute stanza on Tee Ladouceur’s second goal of the game.
Notre Dame responded on Brosco’s lone score of the game at the 22:47 mark.
Following the exchange of goals early in the second half, the contest became a defensive battle on the field as well as in goal as the two teams went nearly 16 minutes without a score.
Syracuse broke the scoring drought for the two teams with Webster’s third score of the game off a free-position shot with 6:58 remaining in the contest. From there, the Orange followed with back-to-back goals by Catherine Rodriguez and Alyssa Murray that put the game out of reach with 3:03 left in the contest.
Tamasitis scored the game’s final goal with 1:42 left to play for just the second goal of the second half for the Irish as Syracuse held Notre Dame for 21 minutes without a goal.
The two teams put on an offensive show in the first half and combined for 13 goals. The Irish jumped out to an early 3-2 lead less than nine minutes into the contest as Stewart, with all three of her goals in the first half, scored twice in just over two minutes.
Syracuse responded with four unanswered goals in less than four minutes of play. After Rodiguez’ unassisted goal tied the game at 3-3 at the 20:40 mark, the Orange went up 4-3 on a free-position goal by Lindsay Connell and then pushed their lead to 5-3 on Tumulo’s first goal of the contest. Syracuse would increase its lead to 7-3, its largest goal differential of the first half, on another free-position goal, this time by Tee Ladouceur.
Shaylyn Blaney ended the Notre Dame scoring drought with a goal at the 6:57 mark off an assist from Tamasitis. The Irish responded with their second consecutive goal 1:03 later when Stewart tallied her third score of the contest off Tamasitis’ third dish of the game. It was the second Stewart-from-Tamasitis marker of the contest after the two hooked up for Notre Dame’s second goal of the game at the 24:02 mark of the first half.
Megan Sullivan put the Irish up 1-0 less than three minutes into the game off a Brosco assist before the Orange responded with their first goal of the game at the 25:07 mark.
Notre Dame returns home to Arlotta Stadium next Saturday, April 16, when it plays host to another BIG EAST Conference foe, Connecticut, at noon.
GAME SUMMARY 1 2 FNotre Dame (5-7/2-2) 5 2 7Syracuse (5-6/3-0) 8 4 12
ScoringFirst HalfTime Team Score Goal Assist27:35 ND 1-0 Megan Sullivan Kaitlyn Brosco25:07 SU 1-1 Sarah Holden Free-position shot24:02 ND 2-1 Ansley Stewart Maggie Tamasitis22:25 SU 2-2 Katie Webster21:49 ND 3-2 Ansley Stewart (2) Jenny Granger20:40 SU 3-3 Catherine Rodriguez18:13 SU 3-4 Lindsey Connell Free-position shot16:54 SU 3-5 Michelle Tumulo10:40 SU 3-6 Katie Webster (2) 7:58 SU 3-7 Tee Ladouceur Free-position shot 6:57 ND 4-7 Shaylyn Blaney Maggie Tamasitis (2) 4:00 ND 5-7 Ansley Stewart (3) Maggie Tamasitis (3) 2:48 SU 5-8 Michelle Tumulo (2)
Second HalfTime Team Score Goal Assist26:10 SU 5-9 Tee Ladouceur (2)22:47 ND 6-9 Kaityln Brosco 6:58 SU 6-10 Katie Webster (3) Free-position shot 4:13 SU 6-11 Catherine Rodgriguez (2) Michelle Tumolo 3:03 SU 6-12 Alyssa Murray 1:42 ND 7-12 Maggie Tamasitis
Goalkeepers
Notre Dame: Ellie Hilling (60:00 minutes; 12 goals against; 14 saves)Syracuse: Liz Hogan (60:00 minutes; 7 goals allowed, 11 saves)
Total Shots: Notre Dame: 21 Syracuse: 31Ground Balls: Notre Dame: 14 Syracuse: 13Draw Controls: Notre Dame: 9 Syracuse: 12Caused Turnovers: Notre Dame: 6 Syracuse: 8