Syracuse University field hockey suffered its first setback of the season, dropping a 4‑1 decision to Rutgers in a dramatic shootout that concluded the Orange’s opening three‑game winning streak.
Early in the contest, Taylor Bigbie broke the deadlock with a swift strike that gave Syracuse a 1‑0 advantage, but Rutgers answered back when Olivia Fraticelli struck an unassisted goal in the 55th minute, leveling the score at 1‑1.
Overtime and the Shootout
After the regulation period ended level, the game moved into overtime under the newly adopted Division I rules that keep 11 players on the field, but neither side could break the tie, sending the match to a penalty shootout.
Rutgers executed perfect composure, converting all four of their attempts, while Syracuse managed only a single successful conversion, resulting in a 4‑1 shootout victory for the Scarlet Knights.
Goalie Jessie Eiselin was busy throughout the 75 minutes, making eight saves that kept the Orange in contention until the final moments of the shootout.
The loss marks the end of Syracuse’s early season surge, and the team will now travel to Bucknell University for a road match scheduled for September 13.