Ice Hockey

Syracuse faces Robert Morris in weekend series with conference crown at stake

Colin Davy | Asst. Photo Editor

Senior Heather Schwarz and fellow upperclassmen are chasing a first-round bye in the CHA tournament and hoping to break through and win the championship.

Nine seconds stood between Syracuse and a 2-1 victory over Robert Morris. Even with senior forward Jessica Sibley in the box, it appeared the Orange would kill the penalty and escape that late November night with a victory. Then RMU’s Kirsten Welsh beat SU goalie Abbey Miller for the tie. The game ended that way and the Colonials won, 2-1, the next day.

“I think everyone’s pretty disappointed in the last effort when we went and played Robert Morris,” sophomore defender Allie Munroe said.

That weekend served as a microcosm of Syracuse’s season through its first 20 games: Right on the cusp, but never enough to push over the edge.

The Orange (9-10-5, 8-2-2 College Hockey America) has a chance to break through against the No. 7 Colonials (16-2-6, 9-1-2) this weekend. A sweep of Robert Morris this weekend would vault Syracuse into first place in the CHA standings and move the Orange one step closer to a first-round bye in the conference tournament.

“Right now,” junior forward Emily Costales said, “I think it’s the biggest weekend of the season.”



The two teams enter the weekend in first and second place in the conference, respectively, with only two points — a win — separating them. A tie and an SU win would leave both teams tied for first and, if the Orange lose one of the two games, it will end up right back where it started: two points behind or worse.

“We’re really looking for revenge this weekend,” Munroe said, “but also just focusing on us and focusing on getting first place and those two wins.”

The biggest challenge facing SU is slowing down RMU’s Brittany Howard (39 points) and Jaycee Gebhard (33), the two leading scorers in the CHA. Together, the linemates have combined for 72, more than Syracuse’s top four point scorers combined. RMU also has the sixth leading scorer in the conference in Amber Rennie (21 points) and two players tied for ninth, Maggie Lague and Welsh (17 points each).

“I think it’s just — obviously keeping an eye on (Gebhard and Howard) — giving them a few extra taps on the knees just to get them kind of angry,” Costales said. “Hopefully draw a few penalties.”

The Orange enters the the weekend on a four-game tear. Over the last four games, SU has outscored its opponents by a combined margin of 15-2. Syracuse also outshot its opponents by a 142-59 margin.

As the Orange heats up at just the right time, Robert Morris has faltered of late, winning only two of its last four and dropping a home game to Lindenwood, a team SU outscored 16-0 on the season.

Despite the chance to reach first place, Syracuse head coach Paul Flanagan noted the Orange will still have six conference games after playing RMU.

“It’s certainly not do or die,” Flanagan said. “It’s not the last weekend of the regular season. Two points behind, home weekend, we’re very excited to have (RMU) come in. Our destiny is in our own hands.”

Syracuse’s best chance at table-turning the CHA standings starts on Friday night.

“It’s a huge weekend for us,” Munroe said. “We’re on a four-game win streak right now and we’re just trying to focus on Friday, but obviously in the back of our heads we know that first place is on the line. It’s a huge weekend.”





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