Women's Lacrosse Syracuse is ranked #7 in Inside Lacrosse's Face-Off Yearbook preseason rankings

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7. Syracuse
Team Info
Conference: ACC
2016 Record: 19-6
2016 Conference: 5-2
GPG (Rank): 12.56 (15)
GAA (Rank): 9.52 (37)
Location: Syracuse, N.Y.
Head Coach: Gary Gait
Year: 10th
Website: cuse.com
Twitter: @CuseWLAX
Key Losses: Erica Bodt, Midfield; Halle Majorana, A; Allie Murray, G; Brenna Rainone, D; Kayla Treanor, A; Mallory Vehar, D
2017 Face-Off Yearbook All-Americans: Nicole Levy, A, So. (Second); Taylor Gait, M, Jr. (Third); Kaeli O’Connor, D, Sr. (Third); Riley Donahue, A, Jr. (HM); Alexa Radziewicz, D, So. (HM)
Impact Arrival: Asa Goldstock, G, New Hampton (N.H.)
Goldstock is a commanding presence in goal who also plays with quite a bit of flair in the clearing game. She will reinvigorate the Syracuse defense, which struggled in the national semifinals against Maryland.
Position Unit of Strength: Attack
It’s almost shocking that with the graduation of Kayla Treanor and Halle Majorana the attack unit can still be Syracuse’s biggest strength, but Riley Donahue and Nicole Levy prove that it can be. Certainly the Orange will need to make up the production of Treanor and Majorana, but Donahue and Levy put up impressive numbers in 2016, scoring 47 goals and 21 assists and 46 goals and 22 assists, respectively. Donahue is likely to become the quarterback on offense, while Levy has shown flashes of inventive offense like Treanor.
Preseason Storyline: Sideline Shakeup
Although Gary Gait and Regy Thorpe will still be heading up the Orange coaching staff, Syracuse welcomes a trio of new coaches in assistant Caitlin Defliese, and volunteers Allie Murray and Halle Majorana, who both played key roles in the Orange’s 2016 Final Four run. Defliese comes to ‘Cuse after a five-year stint at Stony Brook as the defensive coordinator.
Bottom Line: Syracuse needs an answer
Four-time All-American Kayla Treanor changed Syracuse women’s lacrosse, as one of the most dynamic attackers the sport has ever seen. Without her, the Orange attackers will be drawing more attention than in years past, and they will need to step up. Defensively, Syracuse lost a lot in Mallory Vehar and Brenna Rainone, as well as contributions from Erica Bodt and Kelly Cross in the midfield. As one of the teams most impacted by graduation, Gait and his new corps of assistants will need to come up with some answers if the Orange will stand a chance of returning to Championship Weekend.

 

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