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Following its 14-13 double-overtime victory over then-No. 6 Stanford, Syracuse found itself in a similar situation against No. 7 Johns Hopkins Monday. But tied at 13 in its second straight overtime contest, no hero emerged for SU. Instead, it ended on the losing side of another 14-13 result.

Just like against the Cardinal, Syracuse failed to put its opponent away despite holding a sizable advantage early on. With Caroline Trinkaus and Alexa Vogelman’s two goals apiece, the Orange seemed poised to keep piling goals onto their 6-2 lead in the second quarter.

But instead, Syracuse let its foot off the gas. Outscored in each of the next three quarters, the Orange let the Blue Jays ultimately steal the game. Torched by Ava Angello — whose six goals marked the most Syracuse has allowed to any player this season — SU notched another heartbreaking loss.

After allowing another statement victory slip through its fingers, Syracuse will have a chance to bounce back when it travels to face Pittsburgh. The Panthers have faced one ranked opponent so far this season compared to SU’s six.

Here’s everything to know about Pitt (5-3, 1-2 Atlantic Coast) before it hosts No. 6 Syracuse (4-4, 1-2 Atlantic Coast) Saturday:

All time series

Syracuse leads 3-0.

Last time they played…

On April 6, 2024, Syracuse aimed to keep its Atlantic Coast Conference record unblemished in the home stretch of the regular season. SU improved to 7-0 in conference play via a 16-7 thrashing of the Panthers.

By the end of the first half, the contest was already out of reach. With five different goal scorers, SU led 12-1 at the break. The Panthers showed signs of life in the fourth quarter, but the offensive burst was too late. Emma Tyrrell finished the day with a game-high six goals, while Natalie Smith and Payton Rowley each chipped in three. The win marked Syracuse’s eighth 16-plus goal outing of the season.

The Panthers report

Pitt struggled mightily throughout its 2024 campaign. The Panthers finished dead last in the ACC with an abysmal 0-9 conference record and fell to all six ranked opponents they faced. To cap off its forgettable five-win season, Pitt bowed out in the first round of the ACC Tournament in an 18-15 loss at Clemson.

Through their first eight games of 2025, the Panthers have already shown noticeable improvement from last season. After starting 2-3, Pitt has since racked up three straight wins by defeating Niagara, California and Liberty by a combined score of 45-15.

Still, while Pitt’s 5-3 overall record may seem strong, it hasn’t been challenged to the same degree as Syracuse through its first eight games. The Panthers have only played one ranked opponent so far in then-No. 8 Stanford, falling 16-12.

The bulk of Pitt’s offensive production has come through three key contributors with at least two points per game so far. Sydney Naylor leads the team with 22 goals and 27 points. Besides Naylor, only Jenna Hendrickson (24) and Avery Moon (22) have cracked the 20-point plateau this season. Much of the trio’s success has come from Pitt’s consistency on the draw. Led by Aidan Carr’s 42 draw controls, the unit has won the battle in the circle six of eight times.

In her first season as Pitt’s No. 1 goalkeeper, Molly Cain has seen mixed success with a .447 save percentage. After allowing 10-plus goals through her first five games, she’s recovered by surrendering six or fewer in her past three outings.

How Syracuse beats Pitt

Pitt’s offense has been held back by its inability to gain possession of the ball. Currently, the Panthers’ 45.8% time-of-possession percentage ranks outside the top 100 teams in the nation, per Lacrosse Reference.

If Syracuse can win the ground ball and turnover battles, it’s unlikely the Panthers’ top-heavy offensive attack will match SU’s offensive production, handing the Orange the win.

Stat to know: 20.9%

Of their three one-goal games in 2025, the Panthers have won two of them. While Cain has been reliable between the pipes, this has largely been due to the strength of the Panthers’ defensive core. Led by defenders Natalie Voorhees and Megan Sheridan, the unit has raised Pitt to fifth nationally in ground balls (165) and tied for third in caused turnovers (98).

Assisted by players like Voorhees and Sheridan’s ability to disrupt plays, Pitt’s defense also boasts a 20.9% defensive efficiency. The mark currently ranks fourth in the nation, according to Lacrosse Reference.

Player to watch: Natalie Voorhees, defense, No. 18

Voorhees has emerged as Pitt’s best all-around defender. Through eight games, her 24 ground balls are a team-high and also put her tied for 21st in the country in ground balls per game. Additionally, her 16 caused turnovers are tied with Jill Fenech for the Panthers’ most.

As a freshman, Voorhees made just 10 appearances, but from her sophomore year on, she’s remained a consistent piece of Pitt’s defensive core as a starter. Less than halfway through 2025, Voorhees has already set multiple new career highs.

Published on March 14, 2025 at 3:00 pm

Contact Matthew: mgray06@syr.edu | @ma77hew_gray