Freshman defender Rachel Blum got tangled up and brought Seton Hall midfielder Ashley Clarke down to the ground in SU’s 0-0 tie with the Pirates Sunday. Clarke then retaliated, throwing a forearm that struck Blum in the face and drew a yellow card from the referee.

The play reflected the tone of the weekend. During its two contests, Syracuse asserted itself as one of the most physical teams in the Big East. The Orange was able to stall and frustrate Rutgers and Seton Hall with intense challenges and brute strength.

The style of play is just a part of the package when playing Syracuse. At least, that is what SU’s players profess.

‘We want to go in at our hardest and win every tackle,’ Blum said. ‘And that just comes along with it.’

With playoff implications going into the weekend, emotions were running high for the Orange. SU intended to outhustle and outwork its opponents, and a trademark physical style of play ensued.

Brittany Anghel suffered a bloody nose early in Sunday’s contest when teammate Tina Romagnuolo inadvertently kneed the goalkeeper in the face. But Anghel knows the degree of aggressiveness her team displays is far from detrimental to her team.

Borgstrom picked up a yellow card in the 84th minute of Sunday’s game when she collided with a Seton Hall midfielder. Borgstrom was going full speed to gain possession of the ball, but made too much contact.

Borgstrom’s attitude is something head coach Phil Wheddon wants to see from all his players. The challenge may have been risky. It was far from conservative.

‘Everyone says we’re this physical team, but really we just ask the players to play hard,’ Wheddon said. ‘We want the players to not back down, and I don’t want them to back out of challenges.’

Sophomore Alyscha Mottershead explained teams have begun to recognize they are going to be in for a battle when they face SU.

‘I think our reputation in the Big East has caused other teams to come out harder and try to draw some fouls,’ Mottershead said. ‘I think that that is something that we may have had a reputation from the beginning of the season, and I guess we just have to keep it up with them knowing how we are going to come out.’

Wheddon has urged his team all season to match its opponents’ physicality, and his players have responded. But an unwillingness to allow opponents to get easy chances has resulted in numerous fouls and bookings.

The Orange lead the Big East in fouls with 250. Although the number of fouls is not something Wheddon condones, he also frowns upon half-hearted challenges from his players.

‘We encourage our players to go in 100 percent with the intention of winning the ball,’ Wheddon said. ‘At times, the timing isn’t great, and we end up with a foul. That’s part of the game.’

Most of the Orange’s success this season has been because it has been able to bully teams and frustrate them.

The Orange did just that this weekend. SU held a potent Rutgers offense, which had scored 24 goals entering the contest, at bay. SU would need just one goal to defeat the Scarlet Knights. Syracuse turned away Seton Hall on Sunday as well, but it had to settle for the tie.

And it all comes back to that physical style of play.

‘I think we have a number of different personalities that are just a little bit harder than in the past,’ Wheddon said. ‘They take a little more of a physical risk, and it’s showing in our games.’

adtredin@syr.edu

Published on October 17, 2010 at 12:00 pm