Syracuse is 1-3 at home so far this season. It won’t get the opportunity to improve that record for another month.

This Friday against UConn, the Orange will start it’s month-long journey of away games. After defeating Quinnipiac 4-0 last week, the team will try to carry momentum into its games this weekend.

SU will be facing a team that is currently going through a transition phase. The Huskies are just 1-5-1 so far this season.

“We’re not sure about their special teams and not really sure about their girls yet because they did have a lot of girls transfer out,” defender Jacquie Greco said. “It’s like a transition team and a transition year for them.”

Greco also said she and the team have only film and the Huskies’ box scores to study going into the weekend.

Goaltender Jenesica Drinkwater said she doesn’t think focusing on how Connecticut has played so far is beneficial to the team.

“We’ve kind of looked into them and they haven’t had a good season so far,” Drinkwater said. “It’s really just going to be big for us playing our game and not lowering ourselves to their game.”

Keeping the intensity the Orange had from Saturday’s win could be key to success on this road trip, Greco said. She also mentioned putting wins together starting with UConn could be crucial to staying positive over the course of the next month.

Head coach Paul Flanagan said he thinks getting a winning streak together this weekend could benefit the team while it’s on the road.

“Certainly any time you can start to put some wins together your players gain confidence, and typically good things happen when we’re playing with confidence,” Flanagan said.

Holly Carrie-Mattimoe said taking the momentum Syracuse has now into the weekend is essential.

“I think the most important thing is carrying that momentum and that feeling we had after the game,” Carrie-Mattimoe said. “I think if we bring that excitement back and bring it on the road trip, I think it will be hard to compete with our level of excitement.”

The Orange has only played two games on the road so far this season. Two weeks ago they traveled to Penn State and outscored the Nittany Lions 10-0 in the first two home games in program history. Syracuse is now going to try to spoil Connecticut’s home-opening weekend.

While road trips can sometimes be exhausting, Flanagan said he likes them and thinks they help the team.

“I think with our team, I’ll be honest with you, I think it’s easier than having distractions when you’re at home,” Flanagan said. “It’s great to play in your own rink and be on campus, but I find that sometimes, especially with college kids, is there are distractions.”

Carrie-Mattimoe said that while playing on the road there are negatives, like not playing in your own arena. Syracuse is out of its own locker room, and losing the feeling of home-ice advantage can also be a drawback.

Still, she sees some benefits to being on the road.

“A positive, I mean it’s exciting going on a road trip and being together for three or four days straight,” Carrie-Mattimoe said. “I think we get a lot of bonding out of it and come together as a team.”

While this weekend against UConn is the main focus of the team, Flanagan said maintaining chemistry in the locker room will be a big factor in getting through the road trip.

“You cannot put a price tag on what good, positive team chemistry can do for your team,” Flanagan said. “It just makes it that much easier. That’s right up there with the most important things.”

Published on October 25, 2012 at 12:42 am

Contact David: dlauterb@syr.edu