#3 Orange Scores 4 Unanswered Goals to Down #2 North Carolina

Saturday, September 12

J.S. Coyne Stadium

1 p.m.

Syracuse University

(5-0, 1-0ACC)

#2 North Carolina

(4-1, 0-1ACC)

North Carolina

Syracuse

#3 Orange Scores 4 Unanswered Goals to Down #2 North Carolina

9/12/2015 3:26:00 PM | Field Hockey

Box Score

Four unanswered second half goals powered the #3 Syracuse field hockey team to a 4-2 comeback win over #2 North Carolina (4-1) to move the Orange to 5-0 on the season.

After Nina Nortman and Emily Wold each scored within the game's first 32 minutes of play and send the Tar Heels into the half with a 2-0 lead, Syracuse rebounded for a dominant second half performance, with four players scoring for the Orange in the win.

North Carolina owned much of the first half, taking a 6-1 lead in shots and a 3-1 lead in penalty corners into the break.

"We were playing the long ball in the first half, leaving too much space," said head coach Ange Bradley. "North Carolina is far too good of a team to give them those opportunities and we did a much better job in the second half."

Before the Orange could get on the board in the second half, it was senior goalkeeper Jess Jecko who kept the Orange in the game, stonewalling a breakaway before halftime and making a big save on a Nortman shot at the beginning of the half.

Just over 10 minutes into the second half, the Orange struck on a penalty corner. Emma Russell inserted it to Serra Degnan who pushed it to Roos Weers. Weers was able to fire a hard shot past UNC net minder Shannon Johnson to pull Syracuse to within one.

It was another penalty corner that set up the equalizer 12 minutes later, with Weers' first attempt not making past Johnson, it was Laura Hurff who hammered home the tying goal at the far post on the deflection.

After back-and-forth play in the final-10 minutes of action, it was a North Carolina corner that led to the Orange's go-ahead goal. A strong defensive effort led to a Syracuse fast break and a 2-on-1 in front of the Syracuse goal.

Emma Lamison drew the final defender before dishing to Emma Russell for the score with 3:36 to play.

Russell's goal pulled her within one of the program's all-time goal scoring record behind Lindsey Conrad.

Following Russell's goal, the Tar Heels pulled Johnson in favor of an extra field player, and Lies Lagerweij made North Carolina pay.

The sophomore rifled a backhand shot from just inside the circle to give 'Cuse some breathing room and the game's final result with just under two-minutes to play.

Syracuse recorded eight second-half shots to North Carolina's four and also owned a 5-2 advantage on penalty corners after halftime.

Next up, the Orange will hit the road to square off with No. 10 Boston College on Saturday at 1 p.m.