They’re 3-0. They’ve already taken down two teams ranked in the current top 20. And if you listen to anyone inside the Syracuse women’s lacrosse locker room, they’ve barely scratched the surface thus far.
“We still have so much room for improvement,” said senior attacker Megan Carney after the team’s 12-11 win over fourth-ranked Stony Brook. “Being able to look through the film and see how we could get better from that game is good for us.”
Looking back at a top-5 win never gets old. 🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/nr7DstYCYf
— Syracuse Women's Lacrosse (@CuseWLAX) February 23, 2022
To hear the Orange tell it, they’re right where they want to be. They’ve already been tested, they’ve emerged unscathed, and they’ve learned where they need to improve. Coming off last season’s national title game appearance, they know playoff success is contingent on improving throughout the course of the regular season. And their new head coach, having defeated them as an assistant last May in that title game, knows it too.
“We don’t want to be playing our best lacrosse this early in the season,” Kayla Treanor said. “We know that we have a lot of potential, and a lot of work to do.”
That work over the past three days has been preparing for the team’s first road trip of the season, which will take them to South Bend, Indiana. The Notre Dame team that awaits their arrival is off to a disappointing 1-3 start to their season, but it’s still an extremely talented group and one that will be looking for a marquee win to reinvigorate their résumé.
But if you talk to Treanor, it seems there’s a calmness to this Syracuse team that has them prepared for an early-season road test.
“The special thing about this group is that they’re really composed,” Treanor said. “Honestly, I wouldn’t say it’s much [about] me or the coaches, I think this group of girls is composed and not afraid of the moment.”
The dynamic duo back at it again 🔥
— Syracuse Women's Lacrosse (@CuseWLAX) February 20, 2022
📺 ACCN pic.twitter.com/IjFxVjcjzA
Meet the Opponent
The Fighting Irish were ranked fifth in the Inside Lacrosse preseason poll, but have quickly fallen on hard times. Having dropped three straight games to top 20 opponents, a win against No. 3 Syracuse suddenly feels like less of a luxury and more of a necessity. Having begun the week ranked 17th and losing once already to No. 6 Northwestern, the Irish are in serious danger of dropping out of the rankings altogether.
“It’s a big match-up for us,” Treanor said. “I think it is for them as well. All the ACC games are really competitive and mean a lot.”
Notre Dame has not lost four consecutive games since the 2005 season when they compiled a program-worst 3-12 record. The Irish have finished with a winning record in each of the sixteen seasons since, making 11 NCAA Tournament appearances.
The Orange have won three straight meetings against the Irish, dating back to 2018, when Notre Dame last defeated Syracuse in overtime at South Bend’s Loftus Sports Center. Last season, the teams met twice at the Carrier Dome in the second week of March, with the Orange besting the Irish 18-14 and 15-12.
The Irish are led offensively by a pair of junior attackers, Jackie Wolak and Madison Ahern. Wolak leads the team in points (15) and assists (eight), while Ahern leads in goals with 11, good for a tie for 14th-best in the nation.
Just look at this goal! Wolak to Choma to GOAL‼️#GoIrish☘️ pic.twitter.com/dyJjq4XlAM
— Notre Dame Women’s Lacrosse (@NDWomensLax) February 24, 2022
Defensively, the Irish have had a knack for forcing turnovers in the early season, ranking 11th in the nation in turnovers caused per game. Goalie Bridget Deehan, who was named first-team all-ACC a season ago, has a .344 save percentage and is coming off a season-high 10 saves (and 17 goals allowed) against Northwestern.
“They shift between zone and man, so we have a lot to prepare for,” graduate student attacker Emily Hawryschuck said. “And they have a great goalie in net, so it’s something where we need to give our best.
Flags Fly
This week, rosters for the 2022 Women’s World Lacrosse Championship were announced, and seven current and former members of the Orange were included in the American and Canadian national team rosters.
https://twitter.com/CuseWLAX/status/1496565884822958091
Treanor is the lone member of Team U.S.A. from the 2022 Syracuse squad, but the team has three representatives on the Canadian squad. Sophomore Maddy Baxter will play in the midfield and junior Bianca Chevarie will help anchor the defense. Assistant coach Caitlin Defliese will assume her coaching role for Team Canada as well.
“I’m so happy for them... it’s a big deal to play for your national team,” Treanor said. “This [season] will help them in the World Cup, but they’re just really focused right now on Syracuse lacrosse.”
And speaking of Syracuse lacrosse, it’s a big week ahead. After playing at Notre Dame Saturday, the team will head to Evanston, Illinois to take on Northwestern in a rematch of last season’s Final Four game Tuesday. Saturday’s game, which is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m., can be found on ESPN+/ACCNX.