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

A little over two minutes into her Syracuse career, Erin Flurey found the back of the net. She toed New Hampshire’s baseline on Aug. 18, 2022, sprinting past one defender before belting the ball toward goal. It deflected off another player before beating UNH goalie Cat Sheppard.

“After scoring my first goal I thought ‘wow, this is what little you has been wanting to do your whole life and you finally did it,’” Flurey said. “It was a surreal moment.”

Flurey was one of SU’s top offensive threats last season, tallying four goals, nine points and 21 shots on target, all of which were second-best behind Chelsea Domond. That first collegiate goal against New Hampshire, on Aug. 18, 2022, did more than just clinch a narrow lead for Flurey. It provided an unparalleled feeling of relief since she missed her entire freshman season due to a knee injury.

“I think of it as a blessing in disguise,” Flurey said about being forced to watch from the sidelines in 2021. “When I got on the field for the first time my sophomore year, it didn’t feel like I missed a year because I was watching and learning from other people.”

Flurey initially committed to the Orange in 2019. She didn’t make her debut until three years later. It was fitting that she’d score during her long-awaited arrival against a familiar foe.

The University of New Hampshire is 45 minutes from Flurey’s hometown of Manchester, N.H. Flurey made a name for herself within neighboring soccer communities and local recreational programs, becoming a top player in the state at 13.

“Even when she was just five years old, she had a fight and grit about her,” Joe Silveria, one of Flurey’s youth coaches, said. Silveria coached Flurey at the recreational, club and high school levels.

Peter Lally was Flurey’s head coach through two years at Manchester Central High School. In his 34th year with the school’s varsity girl’s soccer team, Lally was aware of the hype. He had heard of Flurey’s talent from other coaches in the area, attending a club game to see her play for the first time.

“She took a ball out of the air, trapped it off her chest, and took off with it,” Lally said. “I knew right then that I had a diamond who was going to play for me.”

Flurey helped bring Manchester Central back-to-back state championships in 2017 and 2018 — her first two years of high school. She also etched her name in the record books as a sophomore, setting the program’s single-season goal record with 27.

“I coached high school sports for 46 years, so I saw a variety of attitudes and abilities,” Lally said. “Erin was a player who comes along probably once in a coach’s lifetime.”

Following her historic two-year stretch, Flurey opted to play club rather than stay on with Manchester Central’s soccer team as a junior. But she returned as a senior, scoring 22 goals in a COVID-shortened 12-game season. She earned two First-Team All State selections and an All-American selection in her high school career.

Cindy Zhang | Digital Design Director

According to Flurey’s father, David, UNH showed minimal interest in recruiting Flurey. Her eventual commitment to Syracuse was a result of receiving consistent attention during the recruiting process.

In her first season, Flurey was the No. 2 option in SU’s attack. Paired alongside Domond, the attacking partners created a dynamic duo that helped Syracuse achieve its first winning season since 2012.

With Domond gone, Flurey is SU’s undisputed top offensive threat. She’s spent time in midfield and as the Orange’s main striker. She tallied a goal in Syracuse’s second game of the season, a 3-0 win over Siena.

“Erin is a tremendous player and wherever we need her we will play her,” Syracuse coach Nicky Thrasher Adams said. “She’s amazing at dribbling and getting forward…so we can play her anywhere.”

Published on September 4, 2023 at 10:04 pm

Contact Aiden at: amstepan@syr.edu | @AidenStepansky