Hogan Knows Best: 'Cuse Is No Final Four Pushover
by Clare Lochary | Lacrosse Magazine Online Staff
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Syracuse goalie Liz Hogan has rebounded from a shaky sophomore season with a strong junior campaign, leading the Orange back to the NCAA semifinals. © Greg Wall |
Ah, youth.
When Liz Hogan was a freshman in 2008, she walked into the NCAA
Division I women's lacrosse semifinals like she owned the place.
She’d started every game in the Orange’s first-ever
final four run, and had confidence to spare. Even when the Orange
was bounced by eventual champ Northwestern, 16-8, she was sure
she’d be back the next year.
She wasn’t.
Syracuse was denied a return trip to Towson by Maryland, who
beat the Orange, 12-10, in last year’s quarterfinal game.
“As a freshman, I took a lot for granted, and I think this
team took a lot for granted. We took it a little too
lightly,” said Hogan, now a junior headed back to the final
four, where Syracuse plays top-seeded Maryland on Friday.
Hogan and the Orange buckled down in 2010, and gritted their way
through a 15-6 season that included four one-goal losses. Syracuse
made it into the NCAA tournament thanks to quality wins over
Stanford, Towson and BU.
“It just takes mental toughness,” said Hogan, who has
a .532 save percentage on the season and is the Orange’s
all-time saves leader with 509.
In the first two rounds of the tournament, Hogan combined for 25 saves, despite unusual circumstances. In the first round, the Orange had to play Big East archrival and No. 8 seed Georgetown for the third time in 15 days after losing to the Hoyas twice by a combined three goals.
On the third try, Syracuse secured a commanding 15-8 win thanks to a fast start and 13 Hogan saves.
In the NCAA quarterfinals, Hogan made nine saves in the first
half to help her struggling offense maintain a 3-2 halftime lead
over No. 7 seed James Madison. Perhaps more importantly, she kept
her poise during a 30-minute rain delay and then shut out the Dukes
in the second half for a 7-3 win.
“Physically, she’s pretty much where she was –
super quick, super athletic. It’s been her mental development
that’s been the key. She’s gone from being a goalie who
purely reacts, to being a goalie who tries to affect how offensive
players shoot the ball,” said head coach Gary Gait.
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The first rule of Project Mayhem: don't ask questions. |
Hogan is a fast mover, inside and outside the crease.
She’ll force attackers to give her the shot she wants and
challenge them for ground balls, but she’s occasionally prone
to the streakiness that marred her sophomore season.
“Her biggest strength can also be her biggest weakness --
her confidence,” said Georgetown head coach Ricky Fried.
“If she starts out strong, she is going to have a great day.
If not, you never know.”
Hogan will need to start strong against the Terps, who average
14.43 goals per game. She’s prepared to let a few in, but
believes that her defense, engineered by former All-American and
defensive coordinator Regy Thorpe, is up to the task.
“It’s a lot more structured [than in years past].
Everyone’s focused on being a really good one-v-one defender,
and then on being a really good team defense,” said Hogan.
“We’re starting to really gel.”
The Syracuse defense has held opponents to 8.62 goals per game
throughout the season and just 5.5 goals per game during the
tournament. Is that enough to stop Maryland? Hogan thinks so. She
and her team have found the sweet spot between confidence and
cockiness.
“It’s exciting to play in the final four. And
it’s exciting to play a must-win game, at that,” said
Hogan.
