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Syracuse travels to Boston College Thursday looking to do something it hasn’t done since head coach Kayla Treanor’s sophomore season. On Feb. 26, 2014, Treanor scored a game-high five points to push SU past BC on the road — the last time it won in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts.

Over the last decade, the Orange and Eagles have endured many changes, like Treanor leading SU from the sidelines instead of the attack. In between her stints with Syracuse, Treanor joined BC as an assistant coach, working with Acacia Walker-Weinstein and Jennifer Kent from 2018-21.

“They’re real competitors and taught me a lot about X’s and O’s, but also just life,” Treanor said of Walker-Weinstein and Kent. “And I think the one thing that I learned the most is just the way they run their program is so different than the programs I had been in.”

In Treanor’s last game with BC, the Eagles defeated the Orange in the 2021 national championship — the start of a four-game winning streak over SU. While Treanor has had success at Syracuse thus far (45-12 overall), she’s gone 0-3 against her former colleagues.

After clinching its first outright Atlantic Coast Conference regular-season title Saturday, No. 2 Syracuse (12-3, 8-0 ACC) is well equipped to take down No. 6 Boston College (12-3, 6-2 ACC).

Here is a breakdown of SU’s four-game losing streak to BC:

Close scoring margin

In its last four games against Boston College, Syracuse suffered two late collapses and three losses by two goals or less, a trend it needs to avoid Thursday.

The Orange last beat the Eagles in the 2021 ACC Tournament semifinals. But weeks later, Syracuse fell to Boston College 16-10 in the national championship — getting outscored 7-2 in the second half. SU’s next three meetings versus BC were back-and-forth affairs where it lost by a total of four goals.

In the 2022 regular-season finale, SU climbed back from a once five-goal deficit to one with 10 minutes left. But an eight-minute scoring drought followed as BC came out with a two-goal win.

Shifting to 2023, SU entered its regular-season finale winners of 15 straight — a program record — with a chance to seal its first outright ACC regular-season championship. Syracuse led by six with 11 minutes left in the third quarter before it collapsed.

Boston College outscored Syracuse by five goals in the fourth quarter, with BC’s Cassidy Meeks and McKenna Davis scoring two goals in the final three minutes to defeat Syracuse 17-16.

Exactly a month later, the two teams met again in the Final Four. SU entered the fourth quarter leading 7-5, but its explosive attack went quiet. BC’s Jenn Medjid scored two early in the quarter to tie the game. After 10 scoreless minutes, Kayla Martello converted a free-position chance to put BC in front for good.

Underperforming vs. BC

The Orange have consistently underperformed against the Eagles in recent matchups. From 2021-23, SU ranked fifth, 14th and first, respectively, in Lacrosse Reference’s offensive efficiency metric.

Yet versus Boston College, Syracuse has never scored more goals than its season average, netting 4.25 fewer goals per game.

Offensive struggles usually stem from turnovers, draw-control losses and the inability to put shots on goal, but SU has fared well in those areas against BC. The Orange have turned the ball over six fewer times and won seven more draws with both teams accumulating 78 shots on goal.

Cindy Zhang | Digital Design Director

Simply, Syracuse hasn’t executed on offense against Boston College. Though with a new-look offense, which has the third-best offensive efficiency in Division I, the Orange’s attack is positioned to end their losing streak.

Emma & Emma struggles

Without its all-time points leader, Meaghan Tyrrell, and leading scorer from 2023, Megan Carney, Syracuse’s offense has remained efficient. SU retained Emma Ward and Emma Tyrrell, with Tyrrell (62) tied for SU’s lead in points while Ward ranks third (55).

The Emmas have been a staple of SU’s attack since they first touched the field, but both have been key factors in its struggles against the Eagles. Both Emmas missed the 2022 showdown due to injury, but in the other three games, Tyrrell only had five points (1.67 per game) while Ward had seven (2.33 per game).

Throughout their careers, Tyrrell averages 3.19 points per game while Ward averages 3.89. Syracuse has seen Olivia Adamson, Natalie Smith and Maddy Baxter emerge on offense, yet Ward and Tyrrell remain the go-to choices. To get over the hump versus BC, SU needs the duo to step up.

Syracuse has dropped its last four games to Boston College including losses in the regular season finale and Final Four in 2023. Emma Ward (left) tallied four points across the two games. Jacob Halsema | Staff Photographer

What this season’s numbers say about SU’s chances

One of Syracuse’s biggest strengths this season has been on the draw. While Kate Mashewske has struggled at times in her return from a season-ending knee injury in 2023, she has mostly dominated. Her 134 draw controls and SU’s draw control percentage (66.8%) both rank fifth in D-I. Meanwhile, BC’s 61.4% draw control percentage ranks 18th in the country.

Though she won the ACC and IWLCA Goalie of the Year in 2023, SU goalie Delaney Sweitzer’s save percentage has dropped from 50.5% to 41.3%. Protecting BC’s cage is Shea Dolce, who is coming off an ACC Freshman of the Year campaign. This season, Dolce has a 46.4% save percentage, the 23rd-best in D-I.

Despite losing games against then-No. 3 Northwestern, then-No. 8 Notre Dame and then-No. 11 Virginia, BC’s attack is first in offensive efficiency, according to Lacrosse Reference. Syracuse is close behind at third and averages 16 goals per game, a hair less than Boston College’s 17.27 mark.

BC also holds an advantage on defense, allowing 7.93 goals per game — good for third-best in the nation. Syracuse’s unit is well behind at 9.73 goals against per game but has held 8-of-15 opponents under double digits.

While Boston College holds narrow statistical advantages, the Orange have the edge in the draw circle. Throughout SU’s nine-game winning streak, it’s shown few signs of slowing down, even against a team of Boston College’s caliber.

Published on April 16, 2024 at 11:37 pm

Contact Justin: justingirshon@gmail.com | @JustinGirshon