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In the 24th minute of Syracuse’s game against Miami, forward Erin Flurey dribbled past the center circle toward the left side of the field. She saw fellow forward Chelsea Domond with a lead on a Hurricane defender in the center of Miami’s zone and fed her a pass.

Domond fielded the pass with a defender on her. The two of them got their feet tied up as they entered the goal box but Domond regained control of the ball. She eventually slid to her left and took an off-balance shot that barreled towards the top right of the goal. Miami goalkeeper Melissa Dagenais couldn’t react in time as the ball hit the back of the net and the Orange were up 1-0.

“It was just pure work,” head coach Nicky Adams said. “She had to battle through it and find a way to stay on her feet, another really composed finish.” 

Domond played a role in all three of Syracuse’s (8-3, 1-2 Atlantic Coast) goals in their 3-1 win over Miami (3-4-2, 0-3 ACC). Domond was responsible for the Orange’s first goal of the season against an ACC opponent. With her goal today, the graduate student now leads the team in goals. 

Syracuse felt the pressure after Miami’s Emma Tucker evened up the game at 1-1 in the 73rd minute. The game stayed knotted for a little while, but that all changed when Domond gained possession across midfield in the 82nd minute. 

She drove the ball up towards the left sideline and used her speed to get some separation. This forced a Miami defender to step up and the one chasing her down to overcommit, which prompted Domond to stop short and take a step to her left. 

Domond then saw Ashley Rauch breaking free of defenders on the opposite side of Miami’s zone. She quickly got off a hard pass that went between two Hurricane defenders and landed in front of Rauch. Rauch took control and launched the ball left of Dagenais to break the tie. 

“Chelsea attracts so much attention.” Adams said. “That’s how Ashley actually got that goal. It was like three people on Chelsea. She saw Ashley make that great run, slipped her in, and (scored a) composed finish.” 

But, the performance didn’t end when Syracuse reclaimed the lead. There was less than a minute to go in the game when Domond once again ran into the Hurricane’s end of the field. Miami was desperate to recover possession and collapsed in on Domond as she cut to her right.

That’s when she made a long lead pass to Blue Ellis, who was approaching the penalty arc. Ellis lunged for the ball and barely got control of it. She recovered and went to her left before delivering a shot to the top right of the goal. Ellis danced in celebration as the Orange padded lead to 3-1.

“When she (Chelsea) can’t go herself, she knows she can make the pass,” Rauch said. “She knows when she has those runners in behind.” 

Not only is Domond Syracuse’s leader in goals after this game, but she now has three more assists than anyone else on the team this season. The forward is also top ten in shots and shots on goal in the ACC so far this year. Adams said she has value all around the field. 

“She is so dangerous in so many ways,” Adams said. “You can play her in behind. She’s technically sound. She can get out of tight spaces or back to goal.”

Published on September 25, 2022 at 7:14 pm

Contact Matthew: mahassan@syr.edu