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After winning just two games all season in 2023, Syracuse had a chance to nab a 7-1-1 start Sunday against St. Bonaventure. Its key to success all season has been starting quick, registering nine of its 13 goals in the first 45 minutes. Against the Bonnies, SU came out of the gate hot again.

In the 27th minute, Moo Galbus was fouled on the left wing outside of the box. Ava Uribe stood over the ensuing free kick on the outside of the box, with a prime chance to strike quickly.

Uribe served a pass across the face of the goal to meet the trailing run of Kate Murphy mid-stride, and the wide open defender thundered her shot past St. Bonaventure goalkeeper Chiara Gottinger into the bottom corner.

“Me and Ava just made eye contact, and she passed it, and I was like, ‘This has got to be a shot and this has got to be a goal or else I’m going to get in trouble,’” Murphy said postgame.

With a pair of first-half goals and a lucky bounce to add a third after the break, Syracuse (6-1-1, 0-0-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) defeated St. Bonaventure (1-5-1, 0-0-0 Atlantic 10) 3-0 Sunday, earning the Orange their second straight win and sixth shutout of the season.

“I really liked how much we were connecting this game, getting in the final third,” Adams said. “Were we perfect? No. But we were really looking for opportunities in that gold zone.”

The game ended six minutes early when Galbus went down with an injury that required an ambulance to enter the field and transport Galbus away on a stretcher. No further details on the injury were provided postgame.

From the outset, Syracuse threatened the St. Bonaventure goal. A corner less than a minute in forced Gottinger to punch it away. The ball sailed to the outside of the 18-yard box, where Uribe tried her luck, but again, Gottinger was equal to it.

After Murphy’s goal, the Orange doubled their lead with a goal that resembled their first — an attack down the left flank, a cross, a well-timed run and a smooth finish. This time it was Galbus who worked her way into the final third, beating her defender down the line. She sent in a cross to freshman Vita Naihin who provided the finish when she poked her bid past Gottinger.

The second half saw senior goalkeeper Blythe Braun replace Shea Vanderbosch in goal for Syracuse. Vanderbosch logged her fourth shutout in six games played this season and Braun registered her third clean sheet in as many matches. By the game’s end, the SU defense held the Bonnies to just four shots, while the Orange offense managed 18.

“I think just finding those passes and connecting and she’s (Adams) really stressed just staying calm and those high pressure situations,” said Murphy of SU’s defense. “I know with ACC coming up, that’s going to be really key, just to stay calm and composed on the ball.”

Syracuse forward Erin Flurey found herself bearing down on goal in the 56th minute, but fired the attempt at Gottinger for her sixth of eight saves.

Two minutes later, Flurey cashed in for her second goal of the year, after a fortuitous bounce. Ashley Rauch picked up a loose ball in the midfield, then threaded Flurey in behind the Bonnies’ defense. The senior’s first shot was denied by Gottinger, but the ball ricocheted back off of Flurey’s chest and rolled into the goal.

As the match entered its final 10 minutes, Galbus dispossessed the Bonnies in SU’s attacking third and drove at goal. Gottinger rushed out of her box to meet the SU attacker and poked the ball away from Galbus. But the short clearance fell to Mackenzie Dupre, who tried to chip the ball into the empty St. Bonaventure net, only for Bonnies defender Bridget Kennedy to head the ball off the line.

After the game stopped because of Galbus’ injury, the two teams consulted with officials and decided to call the game early.

With the nonconference section of its schedule completed, Adams said she is “excited” for conference play. Even if the competition gets stiffer, she believes her team is up for it.

“Everybody knows ACC is the best conference in women’s soccer, and we know there’s not going to be any easy game,” said Adams. “But guess what? We’re a brand new Syracuse, and we have numbers in depth and we are going to be competitive in every single game.”

Published on September 8, 2024 at 8:55 pm

Contact Nicholas: njalumka@syr.edu | @nalumkal