Strong Second Half Leads Orange by Eagles

October 4, 2014

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Freshman Alana O’Neill (Chester, N.Y.) scored the first two goals of her career to lead the Syracuse women’s soccer team to a 3-0 victory against Boston College at the SU Soccer Stadium. The victory improves the Orange’s record to 5-5-3, 2-2-0 in Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) play, while the Eagles, which are No. 26 in the latest RPI, are now 8-5-0, 1-3-0 in league action.

“It doesn’t get bigger (than this win),” head coach Phil Wheddon said. “BC is a fantastic program, a very well-coached program. To get a win like this and win 3-0, which is a convincing win, is huge. “

The Orange had several breakaways in the first half and quality scoring opportunities in the second half, but couldn’t connect on service into the box. That changed in the 72nd minute. Junior Maya Pitts (Montclair, N.J.) played a through ball to O’Neill, who beat her defender to gain possession. She then put her shot in the left corner of the goal for her first collegiate goal. Pitts earned the assist for her team-leading fourth of the season.

O’Neill struck again in the 78th minute. Junior Jackie Firenze (Baldwinsville, N.Y.) served the ball into the box off a corner kick. O’Neill headed the ball into the net past Boston College goalkeeper Darien Dunham to increase the Orange lead to 2-0.

“Alana is one our most versatile players,” Wheddon said. “I’ve seen her play up the front, I’ve seen her play in the back. It’s just a case of someone we knew who could chase and press. The whole team has been working on finishing so it doesn’t matter where you put someone on the field. I thought she handled her opportunities well.”

Syracuse added an insurance goal with 31 seconds remaining when freshman Alex Lamontagne (Whitby, Ontario) played the ball from the right side of the net to Stephanie Skilton (Auckland, New Zealand), who found the left corner of the net for her team-leading eighth goal of the season. She is now tied for fifth on the Orange’s all-time leader list with 17 career goals.

Freshman goalkeeper Courtney Brosnan (Short Hills, N.J.) recorded a career-high six saves and recorded her third career shutout.

The Orange goes on the road for a pair of ACC matches next week, beginning with No. 2/2 Florida State on Thursday, Oct. 9 at 7 p.m.

AGATE

                                1st          2nd        Final
Syracuse              0              3              3
Boston College 0              0              0

Scoring:
72:56     SU          Alana O’Neill (Maya Pitts)
78:40     SU          Alana O’Neill (Jackie Firenze)
89:29     SU          Stephanie Skilton (Alex Lamontagne)

Shots: Boston College 17, Syracuse 10
Corner Kicks: Boston College 6, Syracuse 4
Saves: Syracuse 5 (Courtney Brosnan), Boston College 1 (Darien Dunham)

Attendance: 774

-- SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY: NEW YORK’S COLLEGE TEAM --