The Syracuse women’s soccer team used a first half surge and defended a second half counterattack to defeat the Fairleigh Dickinson Knights 2-1 Thursday night at the SU Soccer Stadium. Syracuse (4-1) and Fairleigh Dickson (2-2) had only met three times prior to Thursday, with the Orange having won two of those three matches. With the win, the team is off to its best start since 2003.
The Orange came out looking solid in the first half with strong passing and nine shots on goal. Freshman Maddie Iozzi [11] sparked the offense in the 23rd minute with a goal from distance that ricocheted off the back post and into the back of the net. Junior Alexis Koval [12] scored the second SU goal in the 29th minute with an assist from Megan Hunsberge [13]r. The second goal occurred after a great save by Knights keeper Sage DoVale. The Orange were then awarded a corner kick taken by Hunsberger and headed in by Kovel.
Going into halftime, the Orange had a 2-0 lead on the Knights. But head coach Phil Wheddon and the players still disappointed in the teams play despite the scoreboard.
“At halftime no one was happy; everyone was very disappointed with the performance,” Wheddon said. “The hope was that when we came out in the second half things would get better. And they didn’t. They got worse.”
In the second half the Knights were able to score a early on weak goal on the normally strong SU defense and goalkeeper, Brittany Anghel [14]. In the 62nd minute, after a shot off a corner kick rebounded back out to the top of the box, Kayla Adams of FDU was there to put it away in the back of the SU net.
“Second phase has to be better, there was a girl wide open who hit the shot and there was a lot of people in the box so I couldn’t really see the ball,” Anghel said about the goal. Anghel was credited with the victory, the 25th of her career. She is now is SU’s all-time leader in victories in women’s soccer.
However, despite sloppy play, the SU women were able to hold onto a 2-1 lead and pull off the victory, stopping a crucial free kick from the Knights with only a few minutes left.
“We didn’t really play as well as we were hoping to play but we came off with the win,” Iozzi said. For Iozzi, this was her first goal of her SU career.
Coach Wheddon believes there is a bright future for Iozzi and many other new, young members of the SU squad. “Maddie worked hard and did well defensively,” Wheddon said. “Maddie could be someone who develops into a regular starter and a consistent performer.”
