May 13, 2007
Video: Post-Game Press Conference with Swezey and Curran
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| Junior attack Margie Curran finished the day with five goals, making her only the second Commodore to score 50 goals in a season. |
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The eighth-seeded Commodore women’s lacrosse team fell to Syracuse, 16-10, in the first round of the 2007 NCAA Tournament Sunday at the VU Lacrosse Complex.
The Orange (13-5) secured the win by scoring the final five goals of the game, including three tallies in the final 10 minutes as Vanderbilt (11-6) extended its defense in an attempt to force turnovers.
The matchup was close throughout, as neither team led by more than three goals until the final minutes.
“We’ve had an unbelievable season,” VU Head Coach Cathy Swezey said. “I’m very proud of our team effort. We’ve had two young and inexperienced years, but this year’s seniors were phenomenal leaders. And that helped everyone on the team become great leaders. We truly were a team led by 27 people. I don’t think this game necessarily reflects what we’ve accomplished all year. We hate to bow out early, but we’re proud of our girls’ effort.”
Vanderbilt got off to a quick start as junior Margie Curran scored the game’s first two goals. She would finish the day with five goals, making her only the second Commodore to score 50 goals in a season (Sue Napolitano scored 53 goals in 1996).
Syracuse would fight back, taking its first lead at 4-3 midway through the first half. The score was tied at 6-6 with only three minutes in the period after senior Jennifer Tapscott scored on a feed from freshman Allie Frank. But the Orange would tally twice in the final two minutes of the half to take an 8-6 lead into the locker room.
After a quick Syracuse goal in the second half, the Commodores cut the lead to one at 9-8 when Curran and Tapscott scored back-to-back. The teams traded goals, with the Orange maintaining a one-goal lead through the 44th minute of play.
Over the final 15 minutes, however, Syracuse would control five of the six draws and score five unanswered goals. Vanderbilt extended its defense with about 10 minutes to play, and the Orange capitalized with three scores in the final nine minutes.
Christina Dove and Katie Rowan each scored five goals for the Orange, with Ashley Pike also contributing a hat-trick. Only three of Syracuse’s 16 goals were assisted, with the team’s first nine scores all coming on individual efforts.
Curran’s five goals led the Commodores, while Tapscott provided two scores. Senior Nicole Pugno, sophomore Cara Giordano and freshman Sarah Downing also tallied goals for Vanderbilt.
Draw controls were a key statistic in Syracuse’s victory. Kristin Brady had a game-high seven draw controls for the Orange, while reserve Lindsay Rogers contributed four draw controls in the second half.
Vanderbilt’s 11-win regular season marked the most victories by a Commodore squad before post-season play. The Dores made their third appearance in the NCAA Tournament in six years, earning the right to host a first-round game for the first time in school history.
Syracuse advances to the NCAA Quarterfinals to face top-seeded Northwestern next Saturday, May 19, in Evanston, Illinois.
