In what is undoubtedly the toughest stretch of their season, the University of Louisville lacrosse team will take on newly ranked No. 1 Syracuse on Saturday in a crucial Atlantic Coast Conference showdown. The Cardinals come into this contest sporting a 4-5 overall record and a 1-3 conference record. After falling 20-7 to then-ranked No. 1 North Carolina last Thursday and losing 15-11 to Marquette on Sunday, the Cardinals will be looking to bounce back with a victory against the Orange.
In their last game against UNC, Nicole Perroni and Hannah Morris were the standout performers for Louisville, each recording an impressive hat trick. The duo worked in tandem to score three consecutive goals to cut the Tar Heels’ lead to 5-4 just before halftime. However, the Cardinals were unable to maintain their momentum in the second half, and came away with a lopsided defeat. In the game against Marquette, Allegra Catalano led the team with four goals while Perroni and Morris continued their fine form, recording another hat trick each.
Despite the Cardinals’ recent struggles, Perroni has been in exceptional form all season long, recording five straight hat tricks and 25 season goals. The Canadian native leads the team in several categories, including points, goals, shots, shots on goal, free-position goals, ground balls, and caused turnovers. She currently boasts a 29 goal-scoring and point-scoring streak, which is the second-longest such streak in Cardinals’ history and the third-longest point-scoring streak.
However, Louisville will face a stern test when they take on Syracuse, who are currently sitting atop the national rankings with a perfect 10-0 record on the season. The Orange are off to the best start in program history and recently defeated No. 6 Stony Brook 16-11 to notch their fourth win against a top 10 opponent this season. Megan Carney led the team with six goals, while Emma Ward notched seven assists and Olivia Adamson had a career-best 12 draw controls. Emma Tyrrell also scored four goals, while Delaney Sweitzer made eight saves.
Saturday’s matchup promises to be an exciting one, as Louisville looks to pull off an upset against a highly ranked Syracuse squad. With Perroni leading their offense, the Cardinals will be hoping to find their rhythm and get back to winning ways against a tough ACC opponent.
