The View - Syracuse Women's Sports Roundup (now with Playoffs!)

Welcome to a special episode of The View. This week we have playoffs. PLAYOFFS!? (Insert Jim Mora voice here).

Softball

LAST WEEK: The Orange were in Orlando, to participate in the Citrus Classic. Friday began with a date with No. 24 North Carolina, and home runs by Carey-Leigh Thomas and Lisaira Daniels carried the Orange to a 6-2 victory. Jenna Caira pitched six innings, struck out seven, and earned the win for SU.

Syracuse returned to the diamond hours later, and could only muster two hits in a 5-0 loss to No. 17 Auburn. In her first career start for the Orange, Lindsay Taylor allowed five hits and five runs in three innings, although only two runs were earned. Stacy Kuwik pitched three scoreless innings in relief for Syracuse.

Saturday was a clean sweep for Syracuse, as they defeated Virginia and No. 15 Michigan. In the first game, the Orange trailed future ACC foe Virginia 1-0 as they came to bat in the seventh (last) inning. A Lacey Kohl double and a Stephanie Watts single pushed the game into extra innings. In the eighth, the Orange plated two runs, including the game-winning RBI by Lisaira Daniels. Stacy Kuwik pitched four shutout innings in relief of Lindsay Taylor to earn the win.

Later Saturday, the Orange battled No. 15 Michigan, and Jenna Caira (5-3) pitched a complete game in the 4-2 victory. Lisaira Daniels hit her team-best fifth home run, and Syracuse never trailed in the game.

On Sunday, Syracuse continued their winnings ways, defeating their third ranked team of the weekend, as they downed No. 11 Baylor, 2-1. Jenna Caira (6-3) threw another complete game, allowing only three hits, while striking out seven Bears. The Orange offense came via solo home runs from Shirley Daniels and Lacey Kohl.

THIS WEEK: Another weekend in Florida, as Syracuse (9-6) participates in the USF Under Armor Invitational: Miami (OH) and USC Upstate on Friday, Boston University and Kennesaw State on Saturday, and Virginia Tech on Sunday.

Lacrosse

LAST WEEK: Syracuse began the week by hosting No. 1 Northwestern on Wednesday. The Orange had a 6-2 lead in the first half, but trailed by three goals in the final five minutes. However, Michelle Tumolo scored her third goal of the game with 53 seconds remaining to tie the game at 9-9, and send the teams to overtime. In the extra session, the defending NCAA champions scored twice, and defeated Syracuse 11-9.

On Saturday, SU traveled to Gainesville, to play No. 4 ranked Florida. As in the Northwestern game, Syracuse could not hold a halftime lead, except in this game, it was Florida scoring the final three goals in regulation (including the tying goal with less than one minute remaining) to send the game to overtime. The teams traded goals in the first overtime session, and in the sudden-death second overtime, Katie Webster scored for SU, to send the Orange home with a 12-11 victory. This is the first win for SU against a top five ranked opponent since 2006.

Syracuse is now 2-2 on the season.

THIS WEEK: A Saturday battle at Maryland.

Basketball

LAST WEEK: The week began with the final regular season game of the year, and the Orange lost at Villanova, 68-60. The Wildcats led by nine at the half, and the lead was as large as ten in the second half, when the Orange began their surge. With 7:30 remaining in regulation, Syracuse led by seven, but they could not hold on to the lead. Iasia Hemingway led SU with 19 points and 10 rebounds, and Carmen Tyson-Thomas had 10 points and 9 rebounds.

On Friday, the No. 12 seed Orange opened the Big East tournament by knocking out the No. 13 seed Providence Friars, 57-47. Syracuse used a 17-0 run in the second half to establish a 46-28 lead with 8:29 to play. Shakeya Leary scored eight consecutive points during the Orange run. Three SU players scored in double figures, led by Iasia Hemingway and Kayla Alexander, who each had 15 points.

This is the first time in program history that SU has won a Big East tournament game in three consecutive years.

The Orange battled West Virginia on Saturday, and the No. 5 seeded Mountaineers defeated Syracuse 63-48. Carmen Tyson-Thomas led SU with 15 points, and Elaisher Hall had 11. Syracuse shot only 24.2 percent in the first half, and could never get close enough in the second half to threaten WVU.

THIS WEEK: The Orange (18-14) await the WNIT selection show on Monday March 12.

Tennis

THIS WEEK: The newly minted No. 39 team in the country took to the court on Saturday at West Virginia, and dismantled the future Big XII afterthought, 6-1. SU won the doubles point, after the teams split the first two doubles matches, as WVU could not field a third doubles team, allowing the Orange to win the point. In singles, Alessondra Parra won her 100th career match, and SU won three matches in straight sets. SU won one singles match when her WVU opponent retired, and the Orange won sixth singles by forefit, as WVU could not put forth an opponent.

On Saturday, the Orange battled future ACC mate Pittsburgh, and had little trouble with the Panthers, winning every doubles match, and all singles matches in straight sets, en route to a 7-0 sweep. Amanda Rodgers won her 12th consective match for SU.

THIS WEEK: Syracuse (10-4, 5-1) is off until March 23, when they host Binghamton.

Ice Hockey

LAST WEEK: The season came to an end in the first round of the CHA playoffs, as SU lost to top seed (and No. 6 ranked) Mercyhurst, 4-3. Syracuse took an early 1-0 lead off a goal from Shiann Darkangelo. Mercyhurst scored the next three goals, then the teams traded goals, to make the score 4-2. With 5:19 remaining in the third period, Darkangelo potted her third goal of the game (HAT TRICK!) to bring Syracuse within one goal. The Orange nearly tied the game in the final minutes, however, a two-on-one shorthanded rush ended with Holly Carrie-Mattimoe hitting the post. Jenesica Drinkwater had a career high 38 saves for Syracuse, and Jacquie Greco assisted on all three SU goals.

Syracuse finishes the season 10-22-3.

Did You Know?

The largest margin of victory by SU softball was a 23-0 rout of Rutgers on March 26, 2011.

SU's worst defeat was a 15-2 loss to Long Beach State on March 11, 2006.

Now You Know