WLAX | Big 2nd half vaults Syracuse into Big East title game
By Christopher James
Posted: 4/26/08, 1:04 PM EST Section: Sports
April 26, SOUTH BEND, Ind. - Just when it looked like another 20-goal performance was out of reach No. 3 Syracuse came out of halftime and exploded Friday here at Notre Dame Stadium.
After leading by a mere four goals at half, the Orange wore down Rutgers, outscoring the Scarlet Knights by 11 after halftime, in a 22-7 rout in the Big East tournament semifinals. SU moves on to face No. 10 Georgetown in the Big East Championship Sunday at noon. The Hoyas advanced with a 15-14 triple-overtime win over host Notre Dame.
The Orange just couldn't wrestle away from Rutgers in a rough and tumble first half. SU picked up 18 fouls in the half, tied for a season high, and turned the ball over 12 times.
"It was a physical game," said SU sophomore Christina Dove, who scored a career-high seven goals. "I think Rutgers came out strong. We had to match how physical they were, and take it to the net."
Rutgers entered the game below .500, needing to win the Big East to have any hope of advancing to the NCAA tournament. The Scarlet Knights looked sharp early scoring the game's first goal and holding the Orange scoreless for the game's first nine minutes.
"Athletically, we were able to keep up and we made a few changes on defense and were able to stop them," Rutgers head coach Laura Brand said. "They obviously made some adjustments as well and we couldn't keep up with the pace in the second half."
Syracuse coach Gary Gait seemed displeased with the result in the first half, shaking his head when asked about those 18 first-half fouls. After watching a desperate Rutgers team fight its way into a tight game, Gait urged his team to refocus and play in the relaxed style he's always preaching.
"It was a playoff game for them," Gait said. "They came out with intensity and played well. Certainly a lot of things didn't go our way. … We stopped worrying about the striped players on the field and what the other team was doing. (We) just buckled down and focused on what we were going to do."
After leading by a mere four goals at half, the Orange wore down Rutgers, outscoring the Scarlet Knights by 11 after halftime, in a 22-7 rout in the Big East tournament semifinals. SU moves on to face No. 10 Georgetown in the Big East Championship Sunday at noon. The Hoyas advanced with a 15-14 triple-overtime win over host Notre Dame.
The Orange just couldn't wrestle away from Rutgers in a rough and tumble first half. SU picked up 18 fouls in the half, tied for a season high, and turned the ball over 12 times.
"It was a physical game," said SU sophomore Christina Dove, who scored a career-high seven goals. "I think Rutgers came out strong. We had to match how physical they were, and take it to the net."
Rutgers entered the game below .500, needing to win the Big East to have any hope of advancing to the NCAA tournament. The Scarlet Knights looked sharp early scoring the game's first goal and holding the Orange scoreless for the game's first nine minutes.
"Athletically, we were able to keep up and we made a few changes on defense and were able to stop them," Rutgers head coach Laura Brand said. "They obviously made some adjustments as well and we couldn't keep up with the pace in the second half."
Syracuse coach Gary Gait seemed displeased with the result in the first half, shaking his head when asked about those 18 first-half fouls. After watching a desperate Rutgers team fight its way into a tight game, Gait urged his team to refocus and play in the relaxed style he's always preaching.
"It was a playoff game for them," Gait said. "They came out with intensity and played well. Certainly a lot of things didn't go our way. … We stopped worrying about the striped players on the field and what the other team was doing. (We) just buckled down and focused on what we were going to do."
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