After starting its season with four of the first six games on the road, the Syracuse women’s lacrosse team returns to the Carrier Dome today for its game against Colgate.

Although a return home foreshadows a turn of good fortune for most SU teams, this group of Orangewomen won’t be seen raising their hands to the sky any time soon.

Six games into the season, the No. 8 Orangewomen (4-2, 1-1 Big East) are undefeated on the road — and winless at home. The Orangewomen, however, figure to end that trend this afternoon at 5:30 p.m.

“It will be fun to finally win at home — write that down,” senior midfielder Carrie Soults said. “I can’t wait for our first home game win (tonight). I think it’s going to happen.”

Soults doesn’t need to look far for statistics that back up her assumption. Last season’s biggest win, 17-4, came against Colgate. The Red Raiders (2-6, 0-2 Patriot) ended a six-game losing streak last weekend by defeating George Washington.

At the same time, the Orangewomen stumbled past 10-9 win at Boston College on Friday before rebounding two days later against UMass in a 13-5 blowout.

“I think that Colgate is going to look at our score against BC and say to themselves that they have a chance against us,” midfielder Kim Wayne said. “I know that Colgate always gets excited to play us.”

Wayne, who recorded a goal and five assists against UMass, received her own measure of excitement during Tuesday’s practice when told she was named Big East Co-Offensive Player of the Week. The junior leads all Big East players with 23 points (10 goals, 13 assists).

Offensively, Syracuse depends on Wayne’s ability to find scorers such as Soults, Leigh-Ann Zimmer and Danielle Lillis.

“I’ve always thought that Kim was one of the best middies in the country,” head coach Lisa Miller said. “She’s a great athlete, she just sort of floats through space and she’s a good shooter. She has great vision, and she likes to make her teammates look good.”

Of course, Colgate — despite significantly less talent — also features some capable offensive players.

The Colgate attack boasts a pair of players sure to leave opposing defenses with anything but pearly smiles. Freshman Rebecca Sandler and sophomore Jane Manning combine for 45 percent of the team’s total offensive production.

While those young players lead the Red Raiders, Syracuse enters the contest with hopes of giving its younger players some game experience in the second half.

“That’s what excites us the most about playing teams like Colgate,” Wayne said. “It’s the fact that if we get a good lead, then everyone on the team can play. And I think that excites everyone.”

Miller mentioned freshmen Jessica Bell, Caitlyn Dragon and Kristen Sloan as players she would most like to send into the game.

“It’s becoming more important to get them some game time,” Miller said, “so coming down the stretch, they’ll be ready to go.”

The likelihood of their appearance would only be heightened should the Orangewomen open a large lead by the second half.

Soults figures that won’t be a problem.

“It’s weird to start your season with three huge games that you get pumped up for and then have the rest of your season,” she said. “But I think after (yesterday’s) practice we’ll definitely be ready to play them.”

-30-

PI, JP, PS

Next game

Women’s lacrosse

Who: Colgate

Where: Carrier Dome

When: Today, 5:30 p.m.

Published on March 26, 2002 at 12:00 pm