Soccer Drops ACC Home Opener to Cuse 1-0
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – The University of Miami dropped its ACC home opener with visiting Syracuse Thursday night, falling to the Orange 1-0 at Cobb Stadium.
Miami outshot the Orange 16-9 and forced Syracuse keeper Courtney Brosnan into five saves on the night. The Hurricanes also had the advantage in corner kicks (5-4) and scoring chances, but could not equalize in the final stages of the match after falling behind an hour in.
“We were very disappointed with the result of the game tonight,” head coach Mary-Frances Monroe said. “We created many scoring chances, but weren’t able to capitalize.”
The Hurricanes had the better of the chances in the first half, outshooting the visitors 9-4 after 45 minutes. Miami’s first real chance came in the 11th minute, when a corner kick taken by senior Ashley Flinn found the head of Natalie Moik deep in the box.
Moik – who opened her account as a Hurricane with a goal against No. 2 Virginia last weekend – saw her header sail high of the net. The Germany native showed impressive individual skill in the 23rd minute, but her touch pass to Ronnie Johnson was just slightly too far for the freshman forward.
Johnson led all Hurricanes with three first-half shots, and showed her strength as a target forward on multiple takes in the opening minutes.
Miami opened the second half with an early chance on a free kick from just outside the 18-yard box. On a designed play, Gianna Dal Pozzo slipped the ball to Flinn on the fringes of the box, but the senior’s cross attempt was scooped up by Brosnan.
Moik and Flinn connected once again in the 50th minute, as a through-ball from the junior midfielder rolled towards the Romeo, Mich., native at the top of the box. Brosnan was up to the challenge once again, however, snaring the ball just before Flinn could get a foot on it.
Moik nearly opened the scoring in the 58th minute on a shot off a clever layoff from freshman Grace Rapp, but her take from 20 yards out just missed the left post.
Moik led all players with six shots on the night.
Against the run of play, Syracuse (4-4-3) tallied in the 61st minute. Maya Pitts made a dangerous run to the right of Lillard, with the senior goalkeeper coming up strong on the initial shot. A rebound deep inside the box fell right onto the foot of Stephanie Skilton, however, and the forward slotted away her seventh of the season to give Syracuse a 1-0 lead.
Miami (2-8-0) would not be discouraged, however, with Moik forcing Brosnan into a save in the 63rd minute and Flinn taking a corner in the 65th.
The game ended on a frantic pace, with Gianna Dal Pozzo’s header sailing high in the 89th minute.
Miami returns to Cobb Stadium Sunday for the second of a four-match homestand against Louisville. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m.
