The Syracuse women’s soccer team doesn’t want to travel to Hamilton to face Colgate tonight at 7.

Not because Colgate is a soccer powerhouse – it’s not – but because Syracuse is in the middle of a four-game stretch in which it hasn’t won a game. And in a year in which all seven teams in the Big East Northeast Division have at least a .500 overall record, SU cannot afford to lose any of its three remaining games, beginning with tonight’s matchup.

While Colgate might not instill nightmares in the Orangewomen, the Red Raiders are making sure to not overlook them.

‘Colgate’s just one of those teams,’ forward Nina Scalzo said. ‘They’re going to be ready for us because we’re the best team on their schedule.’

But Syracuse (8-6-1, 2-2-1 Big East) has faced Colgate (10-6, 4-1 Patriot) in the past.

‘We played them over the spring, and we did pretty well then,’ goalkeeper Emily Kowalczyk said of SU’s 1-1 tie during an April 13 tournament at Colgate. ‘It’s a big game and the result is important. Any team we face in the end of the season you have to take seriously, especially this year when we still have a chance at the postseason.’

At this point, the postseason is the only thing on the minds of the Orangewomen.

‘I’m always looking on the computer to see the standings,’ said senior Erica Mastrogiacomo, who will sit out tomorrow’s game with a knee injury. ‘I try to figure out the stats on a piece of paper at my desk. Right now, a lot of our fate is up in the air.’

But that, Mastrogiacomo says, is good for the team.

‘It’s good for the team to know that things are up in the air,’ she said, ‘because then we’ll get things done.’

There’s only one real certainty for Syracuse, according to Kowalczyk.

‘The only thing I know for sure is if we beat UConn, we’ll be in the Big East tournament,’ Kowalczyk said. ‘If we don’t win, other teams have to do certain things for us to get in.’

Any losses, obviously, will hurt the team’s chances at the postseason.

But even without a chance at the postseason, Mastrogiacomo sees Syracuse’s turnaround from a three-win season to at least an eight-win campaign as a successful year.

‘Personally, I’m happy,’ Mastrogiacomo said. ‘We’ve been playing great, especially after last season. We’ve bounced back. But overall, in order to keep successful, we need to approach these next three games well and get it done.’

Scalzo, however, still isn’t as ready to call this season a positive one.

‘This team has had its ups and downs and a little black cloud over us,’ she said. ‘We need to win these last three games. We can’t start judging ourselves until the season’s over.’

Either way, Syracuse is ready to correct their four-game slide.

‘Everyone’s really excited for the game,’ Kowalczyk said. ‘It was a weird game against Miami, and we’re all looking forward to turning things around and going strong into UConn.’

Published on October 21, 2003 at 12:00 pm