COLLEGE PARK, Md. (Syracuse Sports Communications) – Syracuse stormed its way into the NCAA Tournament quarterfinals on Friday with a 4-1 win over 4-seed Penn State.
Four different Orange scored in the win, which was the first NCAA Tournament win for the Orange since 2016. 'Cuse is now 4-1 against the Nittany Lions in NCAA Tournament history.
The Orange (14-5) will face host school Maryland (14-6) on Sunday at 1 p.m. The Terps edged Virginia, 2-1, in other first-round action Friday. A Syracuse win on Sunday would place an ACC team in the semifinal round of the NCAA Field Hockey Championship for the 33rd consecutive year.
The complete 2021 NCAA Field Hockey Championship bracket can be found
here.
Claire Cooke put 'Cuse on the board first with a goal when
Quirine Comans sent the ball into the circle and connected with the Cooke for a 1-0 lead just under two minutes into the second quarter. 'Cuse held its one-goal lead into the halftime break edging PSU 6-3 in shots and 2-1 on corners.
The Syracuse defense showed up when it was needed most stopping the Nittany Lions on five-straight penalty coroner opportunities. When the Orange broke free into their attacking zone,
Hailey Bitters made a move down the end line and tipped the ball past PSU's goalkeeper for a 2-0 lead at 38:01.
Willemijn Boogert scored less than two minutes later with a deflection off Carolin Hoffman's shot on an SU corner.
Penn State scored its first and only goal in the 47th minute but the Orange responded to ice the game with a goal by
Eefke van den Nieuwenhof, assisted by
Tess Queen and
SJ Quigley, on a penalty corner with just over 10 minutes to go.
Brooke Borzymowski made five saves in the win and improves to 11-5 on the season.
In other action Friday, ACC regular-season champion Louisville dropped its tournament opener 1-0, to Ivy League champion Harvard in overtime at Ann Arbor, Michigan. The Cardinals ended their season at 16-4.
ACC champion North Carolina (13-7) also fell in the first round to Northwestern by a 2-0 score at Iowa City.