Syracuse WLAX Against Notre Dame Preview
In Syracuse's first game against Loyola, we we saw what they were capable of. But could Loyola's rating have been artificially high? Then they went up against Stony Brook, an even better team, and beat them 16-6. They did it all without their best player, Emily Hawryschuk, who suffered a season ending injury and has been out ever since. When Cuse went up against Duke, their third ranked opponent, and beat them by 10 as well, they just confirmed what we already knew to be true: this team is legit.
Now, though, the Orange faces their biggest challenge yet: taking on Notre Dame not once, but twice in the same weekend. The ACC is structured this year so that each team will face three opponents twice. For Syracuse, this is the first of three double headers (the next two are later in the season against Louisville and Boston College).
As a refresher, because of the shortened season in 2020, the last time that Cuse faced off against Notre Dame was in 2019. As a refresher, in that game, Syracuse was down at the half 8-5, and narrowly escaped a loss in the end winning 10-9. Notre Dame attacker Maddie Howe was a problem. She scored 4 goals and had 3 assists, and Cuse won't forget about that when they face up against this team Thursday.
In 2021, this is what we know about Notre Dame. Currently, they are ranked No. 4 in the IWLCA poll and Inside Lacrosse. Only US Lacrosse Magazine has them at No. 3, but the truth is that personally, I trust the US Lacrosse Magazine rankings the most. That's just my personal preference. Either way, the bottom line is that this team is ranked high.
We also know that this team has had a shift since that game two years ago. And while I love talking about the X's and O's, the biggest change that you will see on this team is a change in their culture. I spoke to Samantha Lynch, a 6th year attacker and captain on Notre Dame, and she told me that this year, the team's motto is "42 crew," which essentially means that there are 42 people on the team, and everyone's voice is important and valued. You have to remember, they have 23-year-old adults like Sam Lynch looking to find a full-time job in a few months, and 17-year-olds who just stepped foot on a college campus. For Notre Dame, their challenge is figuring out how to blend the talent of the old veterans with the skills that the newbies bring.
Another thing I think is important to mention about this Notre Dame team is that they have 6 captains, two at every position. That means that there is a lot of leadership on this team. Syracuse does have four captains, but two of them (Emily Hawryschuk and Vanessa Constantino) are out for the season due to injury and they will have to lead from the sideline only.
As far as other notable aspects of this Notre Dame team, I'll keep it simple: Bridget Deehan. ND Goalie. Let me explain. You may remember Meghan Taylor, Marlyland's star goalie from a few years ago. In 2019, Taylor became the first goalie to ever win a tewaaraton award. That year, she ended with a 55% save percentage. Currently, Goldstock sits at 67%.
Deehan is at 75%.
It is unthinkable. Deehan is a stand out goalie and is in the mix for best goalie in the country along with Goldstock and Taylor Moreno of North Carolina. Granted, that 75% number is on 18 of 24 shots in only two games against unranked opponents, so those are some factors to think about. Not only for Deehan's numbers but also for Notre Dame as a whole. They have faced two unranked teams, whereas Syracuse has faced three top ten opponents. However, the point stands that both Deehan and Goldstock are phenomenal and this weekend will undoubtedly become a battle of the goalies.
The last thing I will mention heading into this game is pressure. Think about this. Syracuse has played all ranked opponents, and Notre Dame has not, but both teams have blown every opponent they played out by at least 10 goals. No opponent that either team has played gave them a run for their money. This game will be a different story, because at one, or multiple points in the game, one of these teams will be down. How will the defenses, goalies, and captains handle being down by 2 in the second half? Even further, how will the team who loses quickly make adjustments heading into the next game?
Handle the pressure, win the game.