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The Atlantic Coast Conference has named Syracuse defender Eefke van den Nieuwenhof defensive player of the week following her performance in the Orange’s 2-1 win over Louisville on Friday. 

In the final minute of SU’s game, Louisville had a final opportunity to tie the game and force overtime, but van den Nieuwenhof rushed back and cleared a shot from Cardinals top scorer Mercedes Pastor off the goal line. 

“I saw our goalie stepping out, and we know that (Pastor) is a really strong player, so when I saw that she got on the ball, I was going to the goal line as soon as possible to block it,” van den Nieuwenhof said after the game. “In the moment, it felt right to do that.”

The freshman also had a shot off an SJ Quigley penalty corner insertion in the third period, and helped anchor a Syracuse defense that held Louisville to its fewest goals of the season. The previously undefeated Cardinals recorded 10 shots and six shots on goal, but scored just once at J.S. Coyne Stadium. 

In Syracuse’s 2-1 overtime win against Wake Forest on Oct. 19, van den Nieuwenhof scored the game-tying goal off a penalty corner in the final minute of regulation to draw the Orange level and force overtime. SU’s win over Louisville extended the Orange’s win-streak to three games heading into the ACC tournament.

No. 3 seeded Syracuse will play against Duke on Nov. 5 in the quarterfinals of the ACC tournament. 

Published on November 3, 2020 at 3:53 pm

Contact Roshan: rferna04@syr.edu | @Roshan_f16