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Syracuse’s 2024 season was full of good, bad and ugly. The Orange were dominant in their season opener, defeating Lock Haven 9-0. Two games later, though, SU was destroyed 5-0 by then-No. 14 Ohio State.

The beginning of the season seemed to foreshadow the remainder of SU’s campaign. Syracuse was wildly inconsistent, especially against ranked teams and conference opponents. It finished 5-5 in ranked regular-season contests, and 4-4 in Atlantic Coast Conference play.

While defense remained a bright spot for SU throughout the year, a constant lack of offense plagued it in crucial matchups. In their final three games, the Orange scored just twice, leading to an early exit in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

Here are the numbers behind Syracuse’s (13-7, 4-4 ACC) 2024 season:

2.10 assists per game

Though Syracuse’s offense lacked consistency for much of the season, it thrived in distribution. SU recorded 42 assists, which ranked third in the ACC.

Willemijn Boogert spearheaded Syracuse’s effort, notching a team-high nine assists on the year. The senior midfielder also placed fifth in the ACC in assists, one of three SU players with over five.

In total, 12 Syracuse players contributed at least one assist this season, more than North Carolina, Boston College and Virginia — the ACC’s three highest-ranked teams. SU also recorded assists in 12-of-15 games in which it scored a goal.

“We talk a lot about being patient, and as long as you’re patient, other people have the chance to come back,” Boogert said after SU’s 2-1 win over Princeton. “Everyone’s so involved with each other’s success both on and off the field.”

0.00 conference scoring margin

While Syracuse finished conference play on a high note, upsetting No. 4 seed Virginia in the ACC Tournament’s first round, its play against ACC foes was mostly disappointing. SU ended its season with a 0.00 scoring margin in conference play, meaning it both scored and conceded 10 goals.

Syracuse started its conference stretch about as poorly as possible, falling to then-No. 2 North Carolina 5-0. But the Orange responded with a 1-0 win over Wake Forest a week later.

SU followed this up with a 1-0 loss to then-No. 9 Duke in a penalty shootout before defeating then-No. 16 Louisville 2-1. The Orange ended ACC play by beating Stanford and Cal before falling to Virginia and Boston College.

“ACC is great hockey. They could (go) either way. It’s about capitalizing on opportunities,” SU head coach Lynn Farquhar said following SU’s 1-0 loss to BC on Nov. 1. “It means we have to show up and capitalize and be able to finish.”

In the ACC Tournament, SU defeated UVA 1-0 in a highly-defensive affair. The Orange only attempted seven shots compared to the Cavaliers’ 15, but did just enough to secure the win. Then, Syracuse’s conference campaign ended after it was overpowered by No. 1 seed North Carolina 3-1, managing just one goal to UNC’s eight in its two matches.

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11 one-goal decisions

Syracuse concluded the season 13-7, with 11 games being determined by one goal. The Orange won seven of these contests.

Because of this, SU was faced with many high-pressure situations, with Bo van Kempen coming up big in these spots. Van Kempen’s nine game-winning goals led the ACC, cementing her as one of the team’s most reliable players under pressure.

“She loves the thrill of competition. That’s why we do what we do, and she’s a great person to step up,” Farquhar said of van Kempen following SU’s victory over Princeton on Oct. 6.

Conversely, three of Syracuse’s one-score contests were 1-0 shutouts, falling to Duke, Boston College and Harvard. In these games, SU registered a combined 21 shots, only 10 of which were on goal.

Syracuse also played four overtime matches, losing three of them. The Orange tallied just 11 shot attempts in their six overtime periods. SU’s lone overtime win came against Cal when van Kempen scored two minutes into the extra period.

109 penalty corners

Syracuse’s scoring attack was defined by its penalty corner unit. The Orange frequently forced fouls from opposing defenders, amassing 109 chances on the season — the fourth-most in the ACC.

SU was dominant from the shooting circle. Of its 43 goals, 13 came via penalty corners. Syracuse ran a consistent setup throughout the season, usually with Boogert or Lieke Leeggangers positioned out of play for the insertion. Annabelle Vossenaar then lined up for the trap before passing the ball to van Kempen. The strategy was consistently effective, leading to almost one-third of the Orange’s goals.

“That’s part of our system. Our set pieces are huge,” Farquhar said after SU defeated Louisville on Oct. 4. “It’s team dynamics. That’s our attacking threat.”

Published on November 18, 2024 at 11:14 pm

Contact: jordankimball28@gmail.com | @JordanKimball_