Two teams, so close in location, could not be further apart.

The Syracuse women’s soccer team finds itself a year removed from a 12-7 season and a trip to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Cornell finished last season a disappointing 4-8-3.

Now, the Big Red sits 8-4-1 with two consecutive wins. Meanwhile, the Orangewomen (3-11-2, 0-5-1 Big East) just recorded their first win since Sept. 8. When the teams meet tonight at 7 at the Syracuse Soccer Stadium, Cornell will try to knock off a high-profile opponent, while Syracuse looks to avoid another loss in the last game of its disappointing season.

‘I suppose, in some people’s minds, this game is a local rivalry,’ Cornell head coach Berhane Andeberhan said. ‘We’re just trying to build a program. Hopefully, Syracuse considers this a rivalry.’

SU is 5-0 all-time against Cornell. Syracuse coaches and players have refused to speak with The Daily Orange for the remainder of the season.

Andeberhan feels that, more than local rivalry, this game could serve as a stepping stone for his program. He said a win against a major-conference opponent is just what Cornell needs.

‘I’ve been concerned with performance goals for the team,’ Andeberhan said. ‘Even in some games we’ve lost, we’ve played very well.’

Such was the case in his team’s 1-0 loss to then-No. 22 Dartmouth on Oct. 19. The Big Red held its Ivy League rival scoreless for 87 minutes before surrendering the deciding goal.

The Big Red also played well in last year’s 1-0 loss to the Orangewomen. Andeberhan said Syracuse was clearly the better team, but Cornell kept it close. He hopes, this year, his team will turn a good performance into a win.

‘First we got close to (Syracuse),’ Andeberhan said. ‘Now we have to beat them.’

SU’s year-long struggle detracts from the luster of tonight’s game. The Orangewomen have been offensively inept this season but are coming off a rare outburst in a 3-1 win over Pittsburgh on Sunday. Andeberhan believes the Orangewomen’s underachieving season takes no meaning away from the game. In fact, he’s just glad this game’s taking place.

His team struggled to get SU on its schedule and had to agree to visit Syracuse in order for the game to be played. Andeberhan hopes that SU continues to save a spot for his Cornell team in the future.

‘(Syracuse) is a really good team from a good conference,’ Andeberhan said. ‘In my mind, we are still the underdog.’

Published on October 29, 2002 at 12:00 pm