Opponent Preview: What to know about Cornell

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On Saturday, Syracuse suffered its first conference loss of the season against top-ranked North Carolina. Megan Carney, who didn’t play in the two previous games, left with five minutes remaining in the second quarter after she reaggravated her knee.

Still, Syracuse kept the came relatively close thanks to Meaghan Tyrrell, who had four goals and two assists. Sophomore Natalie Smith, who started in place of the injured Emma Tyrrell, notched a hat trick, matching her season total in just one game. Olivia Adamson also scored two goals, but Syracuse’s effort wasn’t enough after UNC went on a 4-0 run in the third quarter that the Orange couldn’t come back from.

Here’s what you need to know about Cornell (7-4, 3-1 Ivy League) before No. 4 Syracuse (10-3, 5-1 Atlantic Coast) travels to Ithaca:

All time series

Syracuse leads the all-time series 18-5.

Last time they played

Syracuse and Cornell squared off in the 2019 season, with SU picking up a 16-13 win. Cornell jumped out to an early 4-0 lead in the first half, but after a timeout from then-head coach Gary Gait, the Orange were able to scrap their way back into the game and tie the game at five off goals from Sam Swart, Emily Hawryschuk and Carney.

SU earned its first lead in the second half after Meaghan scored her 28th goal of the season, and the Orange closed the game out on a 5-1 run.

Current Syracuse players combined for 11 goals, including four from Meaghan, in the game.

The Big Red report

Cornell is coming off a 13-9 win against Penn. In its two ranked games this season, Cornell was one goal short of forcing overtime. Against No. 10 Princeton, Cornell fell behind 4-1 early, but used a strong second quarter to trail by just one going into halftime. The Big Red took their biggest lead in the third quarter at 12-9 off a Genevieve DeWinter goal but went scoreless the remainder of the game. Similar to its game against No. 23 Jacksonville, Cornell had a four-goal lead with 10 minutes remaining in the third quarter, but it couldn’t hold on and suffered its second ranked loss of the season.

Cornell is led by a trio of scorers who each have 20 goals or more, and eight players have recorded double-digit goals. Most of the Big Red’s goals, however, have come unassisted. Out of the 161 goals they have scored, 111 have come from individual play.

How Syracuse beats Cornell

With a well-distributed scoring attack, it’s important that Syracuse’s defense limits Cornell’s isolation attempts and forces them to move the ball around. The Big Red have also turned the ball over 169 times this season, so putting pressure on their players to pass the ball will result in transition opportunities for the Orange.

On offense, Syracuse must adjust without two of its top attackers. Against UNC, Swart and Hawryschuk only combined for two goals, and Hawryschuk went 1-for-7 shooting. The two veterans must make their presence known and play similar to how they did against the Big Red in 2019.

Maya Goosmann | Digital Design Director

Stat to know: .445 shot percentage

Cornell takes approximately 33 shots per game (21st in the country), but converts on less than half of them. Still, that doesn’t mean they can’t be a threat, as 74% of shots go on goal, meaning if goalie Kimber Hower isn’t able to make key saves, Cornell’s high-volume shooting could make it a tight contest.

With 111 of those goals unassisted, it means that the Big Red aren’t afraid to take defenders one-on-one and shoot off of those opportunities, even if it’s not the best look. Syracuse will have to rely on Sarah Cooper and Katie Goodale, as well as Hower in net, to limit shots from the Big Red.

Player to watch: Amanda Cramer, midfield/attack, No. 17

Cramer leads Cornell with 26 goals on the season and is second on the team with seven assists. The versatile senior has done a bit of everything for the Big Red, and aside from her offensive prowess, she has scooped up 13 ground balls and earned 10 draw controls.

Discipline will be key against her, as she’s earned 10 free-position chances on the season and converted on seven of them.

Against Princeton, Cramer recorded a hat trick and also had six draw controls to keep the Big Red in the game, and she has scored in every game this season, including three goals or more in five different contests.