Van Kempen’s Strike Lifts No. 15 ’Cuse Over Wake

Friday, September 27

Winston-Salem, N.C.

6 p.m.

Syracuse University

(6-2, 1-1ACC)

Wake Forest

(2-6, 0-2ACC)

Syracuse

Wake Forest

Van Kempen’s Strike Lifts No. 15 ’Cuse Over Wake

9/27/2024 8:18:00 PM | Field Hockey

Box Score

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – A goal in the 53rd minute propelled Syracuse University field hockey to a 1-0 win Friday night in ACC play as the Orange skirted past Wake Forest at Kentner Stadium.

Bo van Kempen again provided the game-winner on a second chance opportunity on a Syracuse (6-2, 1-1 ACC) penalty corner. The Orange dominated possession in the second half, out-shooting the Demon Deacons 10-4 in the final 30 minutes. Louise Pert made one save, going the distance in goal for Syracuse.

Wake Forest (2-6, 0-2 ACC) picked up half a dozen saves from Ellie Todd. Lena Keller took two shots for the Demon Deacons, providing the only shot on goal in the game for the homeside.

How it Happened

The first quarter was up and down, but neither team settled in on offense as each team went the first 15 minutes without a shot.
Wake earned the first penalty corner of the game in the 24th minute but bobbled the chance. Syracuse responded five minutes later with its first set of penalty corners. Lieke Leeggangers inserted both, which led to three total Syracuse shots. One was wide, one saved, and one blocked down by a defender.
The Orange, in the midst of their second North Carolina road trip in as many weeks, took a 3-1 shot advantage into a 0-0 halftime tie.
Sparked by the break, Syracuse controlled the action in the third quarter, drawing another two corners while pounding four shots on goal. Todd was equal to all four but so was the Syracuse defense on Wake's only penalty corner of the third period.
Syracuse quickly reloaded in the fourth quarter, taking three shots and two corners in the first five minutes of the frame.
In the 53rd minute, Leeggangers inserted a corner for a Hattie Madden shot that was stopped by Todd, but the rebound fell right to van Kempen. The graduate student ripped a back-handed shot right back and past the Wake keeper for the game's only goal.
Two minutes later, Syracuse collected one final corner, but van Kempen's final shot was stopped by Todd.
With three minutes to play, Wake Forest elected to pull its goalkeeper. Mia Montag sent in a shot that was stopped by Pert in the 58th minute. Syracuse was hit with a yellow card and played down two players for the final 90 seconds.
Wake Forest had two corners in the span, the first leading to a shot that was blocked by Bo Madden but allowed a second Wake corner. That final chance was mishandled and cleared out by the Orange to seal their first ACC win of the season.

Up Next for Syracuse

The Orange remain in North Carolina for a second straight game and a top-15 battle on Sunday. Syracuse heads to Durham for a noon clash against No. 9 Duke on national television as ACC Network has the game. Leah Secondo and Suzanne Bush will have the call.
Syracuse will look for revenge at Williams Field at Jack Katz Stadium where the Orange saw their 2023 NCAA Tournament run come to a conclusion in the quarterfinals.