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Syracuse Defeats Fairleigh Dickinson 2-0 in Home Opener

Syracuse women's soccer shuts out Fairleigh Dickinson at home in the first game of the regular season.
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Syracuse senior Telly Vunipola scored one goal and assisted on another as the women’s soccer team notched a shutout victory in their first game of the regular season with a 2-0 win at home over the Fairleigh Dickinson Knights.

Vunipola broke a 0-0 deadlock by scoring on a penalty kick six and a half minutes into the second half, and freshman Ashley Rauch scored off an assist from Vunipola with seven minutes left to secure the win for the Orange.

Syracuse hosted Fairleigh Dickinson at the Syracuse Soccer Stadium. The Orange were scheduled to have their first game on Thursday but was cancelled due to weather.

Goalkeeper Lysianne Proulx had a key save with 14 minutes left in the first half to prevent the Knights from scoring on a fast break. Fairleigh Dickinson player Madelyn Robbins had beaten the Syracuse defense and only had to beat Proulx to score for the Knights. Proulx made a sliding tackle at the top of the box to prevent Robbins from scoring.

That was one of several key stops Proulx made to help the Orange secure the shutout victory. Syracuse has beaten Fairleigh Dickinson four of the last five times they have faced off and are undefeated against the Knights at home.

Syracuse has 15 newcomers on the team with only 11 returning players. Coach Nicky Adams told All Syracuse the veteran players have been critical to incorporating the new players into the team.

“These players are seniors and have set the tone in terms of the culture and the discipline and the standards that this program needs to be at on a daily basis,” Adams said, following the win.

The Orange will face off against Niagara University on Thursday in Syracuse.