No. 4 Orange Drop Heartbreaker to No. 3 Virginia

Sunday, September 21

Syracuse, N.Y.

Noon

Syracuse University

(6-2, 0-2)

Virginia

(6-0, 2-0)

Virginia

Syracuse

No. 4 Orange Drop Heartbreaker to No. 3 Virginia

9/21/2025 3:40:00 PM | Field Hockey

Box Score Highlights

Fifth-Straight One-Goal Game Against UVa

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Another instant classic between No. 4 Syracuse University field hockey and No. 3 Virginia saw the Orange on the wrong side of a 2-1 decision Sunday afternoon at J.S. Coyne Stadium.

Pati Strunk scored her first goal of the year for Syracuse (6-2, 0-2 ACC) in the fifth-straight one-goal game between the Orange and Virginia. Tane King made four saves for the Orange in the second half while Strunk and Bo van Kempen contributed defensive saves. Danique Schuurman notched an assist on Strunk's goal.

Virginia (6-0, 2-0 ACC) got the game-winning goal in the final minute as Mia Abello converted a penalty stroke. Frederique Vernooij scored the tying goal in the third quarter. Nilou Lempers made eight saves for the Cavaliers in 60 minutes.

How it Happened

The Orange pressed early as Aubrey Turner got loose in the Cavalier zone and ripped a shot that was stopped by Lempers in the third minute.
Three minutes later in a similar situation, Hattie Madden uncorked a shot that was again stopped by Lempers.
The most exciting play of the first quarter came as time expired on the period. Syracuse earned a corner with four seconds, sent in by Strunk. The senior waited on the back post where she tipped home a Schuurman drive to give the Orange a 1-0 through 15 minutes.
Through the first 12 minutes of the second quarter neither team registered shot or corner until the Orange picked up a penalty corner in the 28th minute. Strunk sent in the ball the set up a van Kempen shot but Lempers got just enough stick on the ball to keep it 1-0 at halftime.
Syracuse's defense and press was strong, keeping Virginia without a shot or corner in the first 30 minutes of the game.
The Cavaliers got their first penalty corner of the game in the 43rd minute, setting up a flurry of chances. The first was stopped by King before van Kempen made a defensive save on the goall ine. The Cavaliers picked up another penalty corner, with the first drive blocked followed by a Strunk defensive save. The ball fell to the feet of Vernooij, who batted the loose ball in for a tie game in the 43rd minute.
Syracuse got two more chances with a Turner opportunity that went wide before an Orange penalty corner but Syracuse couldn't convert and things ended 1-1 after 45 minutes.
Taylor Bigbie carried the ball into the offensive zone in the 53rd minute and took a shot but Lempers was equal to the attempt.
Virginia earned a penalty corner in the 59th minute with Abello taking the initial shot. She was later awarded a penalty stroke where she converted for the 2-1 final.

Up Next for Syracuse

The Orange continue their five-game home stand on Friday, September 26 as Syracuse hosts Duke.
Game time is set for 6 p.m. on ACC Network with Leah Secondo and Suzanne Bush on the call.
Prior to Friday's game, Syracuse's NCAA Division I National Championship field hockey team will be honored on the field at J.S. Coyne Stadium. At halftime, legendary Orange Alyssa Manley will have her famed #5 jersey retired, where it will join Julie Williamson's #9 jersey at Coyne.