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Britni Smith’s first season as Syracuse’s head coach ended in Erie, Pennsylvania. Smith’s Orange were utterly dominated by Mercyhurst en route to a 6-0 loss and a semifinal exit in the College Hockey America Tournament. Come the end of the 2022-23 season, the Lakers proved to be the kryptonite SU couldn’t overcome in each of the squad’s last six meetings.

Syracuse’s struggles in Erie persisted throughout the next two years of Smith’s tenure. Entering February, Syracuse hadn’t beaten Mercyhurst in three years and had only defeated it in the playoffs twice in program history. The Orange also hadn’t won back-to-back playoff games since their run to the NCAA Tournament in 2022.

Friday, SU checked all three off the list.

Amid its hottest nine-game stretch since 2021, Syracuse (15-21-0, 11-9-0 Atlantic Hockey America) defeated Mercyhurst (18-15-2, 13-6-1 AHA) 1-0 in game one of the AHA Semifinals. The Orange used a stellar defensive performance to hold on to an early one-goal advantage. Following a first-round win over Robert Morris, Syracuse is one win away from clinching its first conference championship game appearance since 2022.

From the opening faceoff, Syracuse was holding its breath. Mercyhurst dominated the chances offensively, but the scoreboard indicated the opposite at the end of the period. SU stole a 1-0 lead early despite being outshot 15-2.

Charli Kettyle provided the early spark for the Orange. Nea Tervonen whipped a pass from the bottom of the right circle onto Kettyle’s stick at the top of the left circle. Kettyle ripped a wrister that nudged off Mercyhurst goaltender Jorden Mattison and snuck into the net. Despite the squads scoring a combined 14 goals in their last two meetings, Kettyle’s strike proved to be all Syracuse needed.

Allie Kelley was the difference for SU early, snagging 15 saves in the first period. Her efforts were key in helping the Orange preserve their advantage all night. Kelley’s 47 saves throughout the game were her most since early January. Meanwhile, Syracuse’s 16 blocks helped it to its first one-goal shutout since Nov. 16, 2024.

The second period was very similar to the first. The Orange got their best look at a second goal while on the power play midway through the second. Kettyle was the main target on a player-up, but all four of her shots in the two-minute period were controlled by Mattison.

The Lakers smothered Kelley with an additional 14 shots on target throughout the second, but SU’s defense held strong, partially due to its penalty kill. Syracuse entered the series ranked bottom-10 in Division I with a .784 killing percentage but put in an impressive shift when Mercyhurst went up a skater in the final two minutes of the period. The Orange held the Lakers to just two shots on target during the power play.

Neither team could break through in 40 minutes of play. Syracuse had just nine shots on target through two periods, but its defensive efforts kept it in front.

Entering the third period, the mission was clear for SU: defend with everything. The Orange rarely pushed forward, leaving the game in Kelley and her defenders’ hands.

They delivered, first on another penalty kill three minutes in. Tatum White was sent to the box for cross-checking, but Syracuse didn’t concede a single shot on target over the two-minute kill.

Mercyhurst got its best chance at an equalizer with just over 10 minutes to play. The Lakers put immense pressure on Kelley with six shots in 38 seconds. A turnover in SU’s offensive zone led to the best of the six looks at the doorstep. Kelley went full-extension to deny Jade Maisonneuve’s rebound attempt, keeping the scoresheet spotless.

Kelley notched 18 saves in the third period, and her defenders picked up nine blocks. With the Mercyhurst net empty, Syracuse withstood a flurry of six shots in the final two and a half minutes of play. When the buzzer sounded, the Orange eked out a gutsy 1-0 win in which they were outshot by 32.

SU has relied on its defensive performance to keep it in several games throughout the season, but Friday was a rare instance in which holding on for dear life resulted in a win.

Should Syracuse find a similar result Saturday, it’ll be moving on to its first conference title game under Smith on the same ice her first season concluded. But to do so, Kelley and the defense will again be crucial to limiting a Mercyhurst offense that placed second in the conference with 64 AHA goals.

Published on February 28, 2025 at 6:59 pm

harrispemberton@gmail.com | @HarrisPemb6