The Syracuse attack was unstoppable at times this weekend. The firepower was unmistakable and the precision was flawless.

After scoring seven consecutive goals in the first half against Loyola (Md.) on Friday, and another five in the second, the Orange repeated that production against Villanova on Sunday to finish the weekend with two wins.

‘When we’re on and we’re disciplined we can score goals, and we can score them in runs,’ SU head coach Gary Gait said.

No. 14 Loyola mounted late-half rallies to keep the game close Friday, but the No. 2 Orange (15-2, 8-0 Big East) capitalized on its two dominant scoring streaks to defeat the Greyhounds (11-5, 7-1) 13-12 in front of 304 fans at SU Soccer Stadium. SU faced less resistance on Sunday, blowing out the Wildcats (4-12, 2-6) 18-3 in front of 743 in the Carrier Dome.

The victories put an exclamation point on the most successful regular season in program history. Syracuse enters postseason play with the Big East regular-season crown and the top seed in next weekend’s Big East tournament while riding an all-time-best 14-game winning streak.

The Orange, which is hosting the Big East tournament, will face No. 4 seed Georgetown in the semifinals Thursday at 8:15 p.m. in the Carrier Dome.

‘It’s just part of what we’re trying to do this year, and that’s be one of the top teams in the country,’ Gait said. ‘It’s important to be the best team in the Big East. We’re happy that we’re that. That was one of our goals and now we go on to the Big East tournament to get our next one.’

Syracuse won two-thirds of the draw controls against Loyola and junior attack Michelle Tumolo scored a game-high four goals to lead the Orange.

In the opening minutes, though, it appeared an upset may be in the works.

Kathleen Barranco and Hannah Schmitt put Loyola up 2-0 seven minutes into regulation, applying early pressure to the favored Orange.

But SU responded with a 7-0 run, started by Tumolo.

‘I think when a team scores on us, it’s like do or die,’ Tumolo said. ‘We get really mad and we get amped up, so we take it to them. We don’t let it get to our heads.’

After Syracuse tied the game at 2-2, midfielder Bridget Daley scooped up a loose ball at the top of the fan and found Gabby Jaquith on the right. Jaquith quickly turned and whipped a shot over the head of Greyhounds goalkeeper Kerry Stoothoff to give SU the lead 10 minutes into the game.

‘I think we’re just focusing on every play in the moment and that’s about it,’ Daley said. ‘You’ve got to get the loose balls to win the game. It’s the draw controls, the loose balls. It’s those 50-50 plays that make the difference when you’re playing a one-goal game like this.’

Daley finished the run with seven minutes left, beating Stoothoff to give the Orange a five-goal advantage. Syracuse had a chance to put away the Greyhounds with the seven-goal run.

But uncharacteristically, the Orange faltered. Loyola went on a 5-1 run and cut the Orange’s lead to 8-7 going into halftime.

SU came out of the locker room with a 5-0 turnaround to regain control of the game.

After scoring to start the run, Tumolo held the ball behind the cage eight minutes into the second half, circling behind the net. With little movement in front of the net, she was patient.

Stoothoof, however, was not.

The senior goalie lurked farther and farther around each corner of the goal until she eventually came too far out, stepping behind the right of the net.

Tumolo wrapped around the other way and beat her to push the Syracuse lead to 10-7. The Orange added three more goals to build a six-goal advantage with less than 17 minutes to play.

The Greyhounds fought back again, responding with their own 5-0 run, but after scoring with 8:13 left to cut SU’s advantage to one, they were unable to score again.

The win gave Syracuse its second all-time undefeated regular season in Big East play and momentum heading into the conference tournament.

‘It’s always just more intense once it gets closer to the end of the season,’ Tumolo said. ‘We had Big East regular-season champs on the line even though it didn’t really matter if we won it.

‘It was just another game, but it definitely did feel like a playoff game also because they ended our season last year.’

sebail01@syr.edu

Published on April 29, 2012 at 12:00 pm

Contact Stephen: sebail01@syr.edu | @Stephen_Bailey1