Get the latest Syracuse news delivered right to your inbox.
Subscribe to our sports newsletter here.

Already up 2-0 in the 36th minute, Clemson’s Layne St. George lasered in a corner from the left flag. Hal Hershfelt rose up for a glancing header, which hit Kylen Grant and landed in the bottom left corner past the diving reach of Lysianne Proulx — the Tigers took a 3-0 lead.

That goal encapsulated Syracuse’s night on Thursday, as the Orange (4-10-1, 0-8 Atlantic Coast) fell to Clemson (10-5, 5-3 Atlantic Coast) 8-0, tied for the worst loss in program history. The Orange have lost nine consecutive matches, their second-longest losing streak ever and remain the only winless team in the ACC.

SU has allowed at least four goals in its last four games, a streak that has only happened once in program history. For the entirety of the game, Syracuse struggled to maintain possession, even when passing between its defenders in its own defensive third. Proulx was replaced by junior Michaela Walsh at halftime after saving just one shot while allowing five goals in the first half. Her benching snapped a streak of 3,536 consecutive minutes played. Proulx had played every minute of every game since winning the starting job before the 2019 season. Walsh received her first career regular-season minutes, saving one shot and allowing three additional goals.

The Orange midfield — without key cog Pauline Machtens, who is currently attending a Germany U20 national team camp — wilted under the Tigers’ pressure and barely linked up to any play to the team’s attack. The Orange only secured 33% possession according to NCAA stats.

With four key attackers out for the season with leg injuries, Syracuse has been shorthanded on the offensive end for weeks. The Orange only forced Clemson goalkeepers into two saves. In the 32nd minute, Meghan Root sprung Aysia Cobb toward the goal with a well-placed chipped pass from midfield, but Cobb’s one-on-one opportunity ended in a shot directly at the goalkeeper. In the 79th minute, Cobb found herself in a second breakaway, but her shot landed just wide of the post. Six minutes later, Alina Miagkova intercepted a corner kick and led the Orange on a furious counterattack with Cobb. Miagkova served the ball to Cobb in front of the net, but Cobb was called for offsides.

Syracuse has only lost 8-0 on two occasions. In 1997, just the second year of the program’s existence, SU lost 8-0 to Notre Dame. And in 2008, former head coach Phil Wheddon’s first year with the team, the Orange lost 8-0 to West Virginia.

Now 0-8 in the ACC and out of contention for the conference tournament, the Orange have just two games left to save a second winless ACC season in four years. Since Nicky Adams arrived in 2019, Syracuse is 2-22-1 in conference play. SU plays NC State (3-5 in the ACC) and Virginia Tech (3-3-2 in the ACC) to wrap up its season next week.

Published on October 21, 2021 at 11:01 pm

Contact Connor: cpignate@syr.edu