The Daily Orange is a nonprofit newsroom that receives no funding from Syracuse University. Consider donating today to support our mission.

Laura Graziosi’s goal with eight minutes left in the fourth quarter helped Syracuse defeat Duke, 4-3, to win its first match of the year. The Orange had to wait an extra three weeks to face the Blue Devils after a potential exposure to COVID-19 postponed the two teams’ series on Sept. 18 and 20. 

The Orange’s (1-2, 1-1 Atlantic Coast) original series against Boston College this weekend was also postponed due to a positive test within the Eagles’ program. Instead, Syracuse faced the Blue Devils (0-4, 0-3) at the Virginia Beach Sportsplex, a regional training site for the U.S. Women’s National team. Freshman Florine van Boetzelaer led the Orange with two goals to raise her season total to a team-high three.

The Blue Devils got on the board first, just under four minutes into the opening quarter. Duke’s Hannah Miller deflection beat Syd Taylor to give her side an early lead. The Orange responded seven minutes later with a Van Boetzelaer rebound that tied the match at one. 

Later that quarter, with just under a minute to play, an SJ Quigley cross found All-American Charlotte de Vries with nothing but an empty cage in front of her, and the sophomore buried it. But Miller evened the game again for the Blue Devils just over a minute into the second quarter, receiving a cross and beating Taylor with a shot of her own. 

Neither side would score again until van Boetzelaer’s second of the match, with 2:38 to play in the third quarter. Aided by a yellow card on SU’s Carolin Hoffmann, Duke would respond once again just 59 seconds later, and the match remained locked at three entering the final quarter. 

In the fourth, though, junior Graziosi put the Orange ahead for good. Duke pulled its goalie in the waning minutes of the match, but SU denied the Blue Devils’ final scoring attempt with 1:43 to play. 

The Orange now head to North Carolina to play three matches in the span of four days, beginning with UNC on Oct. 16 followed by two against Wake Forest on Oct. 18 and 19.

Published on October 10, 2020 at 7:28 pm

Contact Tim: tnolan@syr.edu