It’s only two games into the new season, but the Syracuse women’s soccer team is undefeated. So why isn’t this team, which has only had one losing season in eight years, getting any respect?

There may be a reason or two – or 11, as in losses the team had last year in 14 games – for the lack of praise.

Back-to-back season-opening wins certainly helped the Orangewomen’s cause, though.

‘We’re all a unit right now,’ senior co-captain Erica Mastrogiacomo said. ‘We’re still getting to know the new players a little bit off the field, but it’s different on the field. We’re having fun together.’

The Orangewomen hope that fun will carry over to this weekend’s matchup at Cornell on Sunday at 1 p.m. The Orangewomen tied Cornell 0-0 in double-overtime last year in the final game of the season.

Syracuse made its season debut in Soccer Buzz Magazine’s top 10 Northeast collegiate teams, this week at No. 7. It’s an indication that last year’s forgettable season may finally be forgotten.

This year’s team is a completely different beast, in terms of talent, depth, experience and offensive attack. The Orangewomen retained 10 of 11 starters from last year’s squad and brought in four transfers and a freshman to improve its offense.

‘This year, a lot of teams are going to have to adjust to our style,’ senior Nina Scalzo said. ‘We have such strength in the middle that they’ll have to adjust because if they don’t, then we’ll get the ball to the goal every time.’

And that scoring ability has been the linchpin to Syracuse’s success so far in the young season.

No one’s expecting SU to win the national title, but a 2-0 start is a step in the right direction, especially since it’s just one win away from tying last year’s total.

And despite returning so many players, the team knows Monroe County Community College transfers Kristina Cristofori, Shana Thomas and Kelly Bailie, Nebraska transfer Helen Fox and freshman Molly McManus deserve at least an equal amount of credit.

‘These new players have all played well,’ Scalzo said. ‘Kristina was on my club team, and they all just fit in the mix really well.’

‘They’re doing awesome,’ Mastrogiacomo said. ‘They came in really prepared, which made it a lot easier for them. And having the three coming from MCC, they already played with each other, so it’s easier to add them all in at once. It made the chemistry a little bit easier.’

McManus, the lone freshman on the squad, feels like the upperclassmen deserve some credit for being so welcoming of the newcomers.

‘I definitely don’t feel like the only freshman,’ McManus said. ‘Everyone’s been real supportive.’

While the seniors focused on welcoming the newcomers during the preseason, their attention shifts now to Cornell.

‘From in the past, we know that they have some speed up top,’ Mastrogiacomo said. ‘They’re a pretty good team.’

‘Cornell always gives us a good game, no matter what point in the season it is,’ Scalzo said. ‘As usual, we’re vying for No. 1 in the state.’

For SU seniors, a third win won’t be nearly enough to satisfy them for the season.

‘Especially after last season,’ Mastrogiacomo said, ‘all the seniors on the team want to come back and make a statement like this is what we can do. Before we leave, we definitely want to go out with a winning record.’

Published on September 4, 2003 at 12:00 pm