Last night wasn’t exactly a storybook ending for the five Syracuse women’s soccer seniors. In fact, the five had their career’s come to an end in a loss.

‘I don’t even realize that I just played my last game,’ midfielder Anne-Marie Lapalme said. ‘I’m sad, obviously, especially because we lost.’

Syracuse lost to Princeton, 3-1, to end its season. The Orangemen will miss the Big East tournament for the second straight year.

Lapalme and teammates Jenelle Ferri, Megan Huez, Erica Mastrogiacomo and Maureen Tohidi were honored in a pre-game Senior Night ceremony in which each player was announced to cheers from the crowd. But after the game, it was tough for the departing players to look at the night positively.

‘It sucks,’ midfielder Huez said. ‘We’ve all been playing since we were 5 years old, and now it’s come to an end. It’s kind of surreal in a way.’

In fact, for Huez, the whole night was surreal. As the seniors entered the locker room prior to the game, they found it decorated in their honor. Their younger teammates also made signs for the departing seniors that were attached to the bleachers. The signs made the seniors feel even more appreciated during the pre-game ceremony and during the game itself.

During the game, however, the seniors said their focus wasn’t on nostalgia, but on trying to end the season positively against Princeton (10-1-3, 2-1-3 Ivy League). Syracuse (9-8-1, 3-3-0 Big East) has won just one of its previous six games.

‘I wasn’t thinking about the fact that it was my last game at all,’ Lapalme said. ‘I just thought we deserved to win something.’

Apparently, though, Princeton didn’t. And Syracuse’s season, despite its sweet beginning, ended bitterly for the players who won’t be back next year to right the wrongs.

‘I wish we could have gone out with a win,’ Huez said, ‘and I wish this season could have gone differently. But you just have to try your best and see how things go.’

For the five departing seniors, that clich will now be applied to ventures not including soccer for the first time in as long as they can remember.

‘A little part of me is like, ‘Yeah, it’s over. You did it. You deserve to be done. You did all your work and everything.’ ‘ Lapalme said. ‘But it’s still pretty sad.’

Published on October 29, 2003 at 12:00 pm