Baxter, Mashewske Spark Another Cuse Win Over a Top 10 Opponent

Much like just about every other team across the country, Syracuse has experienced a few setbacks in the loss a column this spring. But few teams can match Syracuse’s best wins, and the Orange tacked on another resume-builder on Saturday in Charlottesville.

Maddy Baxter’s career-high five goals and Kate Mashewske’s 18 draw controls — one off her own single-game program record — helped Syracuse overcome an early four-goal hole to beat No. 5 Virginia 15-14.

Virginia (9-2, 3-2 ACC) quickly led 5-1, but Baxter scored three times in a 4-0 run to knot it at 5 on the first tally of the second quarter.

Then the back and forth began. The score was tied seven times from there, with Virginia finally establishing a relative cushion at 14-12 when Katia Carnevale (five goals) finished a feed from Kate Miller (four assists) just eight seconds into the fourth quarter.

Emma Ward, who scored her 100th career goal in the third quarter, assisted Olivia Adamson to make it 14-13, then Baxter scored unassisted with 9:50 left to tie it at 14.

Payton Rowley’s assist to Emma Tyrrell with 5:31 left gave Syracuse the lead for good, though Virginia threatened in the final seconds after Coco Vandiver and Tyrrell caused turnovers on consecutive Cavalier possessions.

Kiki Shaw had Virginia’s final look at the cage with 16 seconds left, but Delaney Sweitzer came up with her ninth save and her biggest save of the afternoon.

It’s the fourth straight win for ninth-ranked Syracuse after a one-goal loss to Stony Brook on March 5. Syracuse (7-3, 5-0 ACC) also has a one-goal overtime loss to Maryland and a three-goal loss to Northwestern. But wins over Notre Dame — which has beaten both Northwestern and Boston College — and North Carolina should have Syracuse close to the top of the list of teams other coaches don’t want to play right now.

AROUND THE COUNTRY

• No. 18 Princeton broke a fourth-quarter tie at 11 with 8:16 left when Grace Tauckus (five goals) scored on a player-up opportunity. Nina Montes tacked on an insurance goal with 4:43 left that proved crucial, as the Tigers hung on for a 13-12 win over Cornell.
• Isabella Peterson had five goals and Maddie Epke had four goals and one assist for No. 7 James Madison in its 19-8 win over Cincinnati. Lauren Ottensmeyer scored four times for the Bearcats.
• No. 15 North Carolina bounced back from its program-worst ACC loss to Syracuse by beating Louisville 18-12. Kiley Mottie had five goals, Olivia Dirks had four goals and one assist and Stella Harrison — who came on in relief of Alecia Nicholas — made 13 saves.
• A pair of big games from Army’s super sophomores led the Black Knights to a 17-4 win over Lafayette. Brigid Duffy had seven goals and one assist, and Allison Reilly had three goals and five assists.
• Navy quickly moved past its Wednesday loss to Loyola by beating Boston U 20-9. Tori DiCarlo (four goals, two assists) and Kat McAteer (two goals, four assists) had six-point days, while Emily Messinese had four goals and one assist.
• Five goals from Maggi Hall and four goals from Danielle Pavinelli scored more than half of No. 13 Florida’s goals in a 19-4 win over Old Dominion.
• No. 8 Loyola continued its Patriot League dominance, beating Lehigh 11-5 on the strength of hat tricks from Georgia Latch and Sydni Black.
• No. 3 Boston College got 13 goals and 17 points combined between Emma LoPinto, Rachel Clark, Kayla Martello and Belle Smith in an 18-3 win over Duke.
• Brown’s offense kept firing in a 19-7 win over Columbia, with Mia Mascone’s seven points (three goals, four assists) leading the Bears. Mascone has 40 goals and 20 assists in Brown’s 7-2 start.
• No. 19 Fairfield doubled up Niagara, one of its top MAAC counterparts, with Libby Rowe and Rylee Harrell each notching hat tricks in a 14-7 win.
• No. 11 Johns Hopkins recovered from last Saturday’s loss to Northwestern by beating Ohio State 15-5. Ashley Mackin (three goals, two assists) and Campbell Case (four goals, one assist) each had five points.
• Ella Heaney and Maggie Brown each had four goals for No. 16 USC, which took down Arizona State 16-7.