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Syracuse is coming off three straight wins over two top-five teams in as many weeks. Against Binghamton last game, the Orange won 17-10 and led by as much as 13. Now, they will march into Pittsburgh to play a team that lost to Binghamton 11-5 last Thursday.

In the Orange’s first away game and Atlantic Coast Conference opener, they have immense momentum on their side. No. 2 Syracuse climbed three spots from its preseason ranking and two spots from last week’s rank in the Inside Lacrosse Women/Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association rankings.

Pittsburgh’s program is in just its second year of competition. But that didn’t stop it from starting 3-0 last season and earning a trip to the second round of the conference tournament, something SU couldn’t do.

Here’s what you need to know about the Panthers ahead of their second-ever matchup with Syracuse:

All-time series:

Syracuse leads, 1-0.

Last time they played

Last season, Syracuse won 18-6 and Meaghan Tyrrell matched the Panthers in goals on her own. Emily Hawryschuk added foul goals of her own, and six other Orange players found the back of the net in the onslaught.

Syracuse trailed 2-1 after Kieren Ratliff-Kailbourne put in Pittsburgh’s second goal in 45 seconds. Hawryschuk evened it up, but the Panthers added two more to end the first quarter up two on then-No. 4 Syracuse.

But from the start of the second to the middle of the third, Syracuse scored eight straight goals to go up 10-4. Meaghan scored the first two goals before assisting her sister Emma Tyrrell on the third. It spiraled from there, so that even draw-control specialist Kate Mashewske got in on the scoring, taking a draw control to the cage for her first and only career goal.

The Panthers report

In its second year of competition, Pittsburgh is still building its program in the most competitive conference in college lacrosse. It went 1-7 in the ACC last season, with its sole win coming against Louisville, who also went 1-7 in conference play. It then beat Louisville again in the first round of the ACC Tournament before losing handsomely to the eventual champions, North Carolina.

The Panthers’ main attack is a senior transfer from San Diego State, Camcdyn O’Donnell. The 5-foot-1 senior has scored at least two goals in each of Pittsburgh’s first three games, totaling eight goals on 16 shots. She leads the Panthers in points, shots on goal and free position scores in her first year on the team.

She ranked second on SDSU with 50 points last year and set a school record with 14 shots in one game. She’s an aggressive attack, and Syracuse will need to focus on her defensively.

As a team Pitt had 140 unassisted scores (63% of goals) with a .528 free position percentage last season, illustrating its proclivity for isolation offense. That solo mindset has befallen this year’s Panthers as well, who have just six assists in three games.

Zak Wolf | Assistant Digital Editor

How Syracuse beats Pittsburgh

Syracuse has a huge upper hand in this matchup because many SU players, specifically older attackers like Meaghan and Megan Carney, played with Pitt’s goalie, Hannah Van Middelem, for multiple years. Under Kayla Treanor, the Orange have exposed inexperienced defenses and in this matchup, they will also know how to attack the goalkeeper.

On the offensive end, Syracuse should expect a lot of isolation, as this Pittsburgh team has shown an inability to assist at a high rate. Most of its offense comes from dodges, and it’s been fantastic on free-position shots dating back to last season. It even had a higher free-position percentage than the Orange (.448) last year.

Thus far, the Orange defense has been electric. Syracuse has been a wall inside the 8-meter, contesting every shot with great success. And if shots do get through, Delaney Sweitzer has been reliable, more often than not, and ranks eighth nationally with 12 saves per game. If SU continues to play this way, it should be perfectly suited to lock down a team that can’t pass the rock well.

Stat to know: 6

Pittsburgh has just six assists on the young season compared to Syracuse’s 34. SU has displayed elite ball movement to produce at least 16 points in every game. Meanwhile, the Panthers have struggled to move the rock successfully, turning it over 53 times thus far to SU’s 37. Pittsburgh will need to pass more effectively against the Orange to make this a close game.

Player to watch: Hannah Van Middelem, goalkeeper, No. 42

The Panthers’ starting goalie Van Middelem spent four seasons at Syracuse before transferring to Pitt as a graduate student. She never started at SU, but played 12 games in 2018 before playing six each in the next two seasons. She made just two appearances in her senior year. This season, Van Middelem boasts a .492 save percentage along with an 11.05 goals against average, ranking 46th in the nation.

Published on February 22, 2023 at 11:07 pm

Contact Wyatt: wbmiller@syr.edu