Alma Fenne stood outside the circle, eyeing the action in front of Virginia’s goal. The ball rested up against her stick and after pausing for a few seconds to let her teammates set up what looked like it was going to be a set piece, Fenne attacked.

The midfielder burst quickly to her right and then back to her left — the explosive move leaving the Virginia defender behind her. A couple moves later and her backhand shot found the top right corner of the goal.

It was Fenne’s fourth goal of the season which gave Syracuse a 2-1 lead with two minutes left in the first half.

“If it was 1-1 it would have been a way different game,” Fenne said. “It would have been a game that we don’t know what would’ve happened.”

No. 2 Syracuse (8-0, 3-0 Atlantic Coast) wouldn’t look back from Fenne’s score as it defeated No. 4 Virginia (8-1, 2-1), 3-1, Friday afternoon at J.S. Coyne Stadium. Serra Degnan and Liz Sack tacked on unassisted goals of their own as the offensive attack strengthened as the game progressed.

Most of SU’s 14 shots were high-percentage looks despite only earning two penalty corners — one in each half.

Though two goals were scored in the first half, the offense coughed away a few opportunities within the circle with poor passing. Emma Russell, the team’s leading scorer with six goals, appeared open near the cage a few times, but passes from Emma Lamison and Laura Hurff were off.

Russell only had one shot, but Degnan and Sack both scored their first goals of the season to pick up the slack.

“We really work hard to play team hockey, that there is no star within our system,” said SU head coach Ange Bradley. “… I think that’s repeatedly demonstrated in how we score, how we move the ball and how we played today.”

Degnan’s goal came off a rebound when she scooped up what had been a kick save from Virginia’s Rebecca Holden and put it home.

SU dominated possession in the second half, with Virginia registering only one shot in the second. SU also game planned for a switch of Virginia’s goalkeeper.

The Cavaliers have been using a two-goalkeeper rotation this season where Holden and Carrera Lucas both play a half of the game. Sack said that through film preparation during the week, SU knew Lucas was very aggressive on coming out of the cage to stop shots and was prepared to take advantage.

Not even five minutes after halftime, Lamison had already had two goal-scoring opportunities thwarted by Lucas charging from the net. Two other saves followed, all turned away by Virginia’s ranging goalkeeper.

In the 17th minute of second-half play, Sack collected the ball at the top of the offensive circle. Lucas stormed all the way out to meet her — leaving the goal unattended. Sack swung the ball to her left and sent it sweeping around the charging Lucas and on a clear path to the cage.

“Both (goalies were) really active and taking advantage of them when they’re off balance is really crucial,” Sack said. “… I knew she was stepping (toward me) … so I lifted the ball and committed to shooting anyway.”

In its last two games against ranked opponents — then-No. 2 North Carolina and No. 11 Boston College — Syracuse trailed at halftime. On Friday, the offense got started early and Sack’s goal in the second half provided needed insurance to shut the door.

Said Fenne: “The second half is our thing, but today we got some goals in the first half too, which is good.”

Published on September 25, 2015 at 8:31 pm

Contact Liam: lpsull01@syr.edu