No. 4 Syracuse (12-3, 4-1 Atlantic Coast) hung on to win an 8-7 game at Albany (7-4, 3-0 America East) that wasn’t decided until the final moments.

Senior midfielder Kelly Cross forced a turnover and scooped up the groundball with 32 seconds left to cut the Great Danes’ final chance short and secure the Orange’s win at John Fallon Field on Tuesday night.

The win extended Syracuse’s winning streak to five games since a 13-8 loss at Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, against Boston College. The Canisius game, which was suspended due to weather on April 3, is still tied at 10 with about six minutes remaining. There is no make-up date scheduled.

In the first eight minutes, Syracuse struggled. The Orange had committed four fouls, lost both draws and fallen behind 2-0, one of which came on a free position shot. Julie Cryderman scored both goals for Albany.

But Syracuse stormed back. After returning from a yellow card, attack Halle Majorana scored her 27th of the season and the Orange’s first of the game. Minutes later, after one of her shots was saved but before her next yellow card, Majorana hit the crossbar on a shot that would’ve tied the game.

SU attack Nicole Levy made up for it with her 27th goal of the season, and the Orange received another contribution from an unfamiliar place. Midfielder Gabby Jaquith, who usually distributes and plays defense, added a goal to continue Syracuse’s late run.

The nation’s ninth best best offense, at 13.79 goals per game, had just three at halftime. But it also had the lead.

Two second-half goals by Levy spurred the charge as the Orange netted five goals in the frame. Levy’s hat trick extended her streak to seven games in which she’s scored multiple goals. She’s done that in 10 of her 15 games so far this season.

No one else scored more than once and attack Kayla Treanor, who won only half of the six draws in the first half, won all 11 in the second. Syracuse also finished 11-for-11 on the clear for the day.

Down 8-5 with under four minutes ago, Albany scored to bring the game within two goals at 8-6. After Treanor won the draw, Jaquith turned the ball over and Albany rushed down the field. After completing the clear, the Great Danes called timeout.

Fifteen seconds later, UA’s Rachel Heidenreich scored her sixth goal of the season. It was suddenly a one-goal game with 2:12 remaining.

Treanor won the draw and Taylor Gait turned it over, but SU kept UA at bay just long enough to seal the win.

Published on April 12, 2016 at 7:09 pm

Contact Sam: sjfortie@syr.edu | @Sam4TR