Syracuse’s draw control depth shows signs of establishing consistency
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In the third quarter versus Louisville Saturday, Kate Mashewske stood just four draw control wins away from Syracuse’s program record. She entered the contest needing 16, and three consecutive draw controls to start the second half had her on the doorstep of immortality.
But Cardinals’ head coach Scott Teeter had other plans. Following SU’s third straight goal to open the second half, he requested a stick check on Mashewske. The referees promptly followed protocol and analyzed the stick for a few minutes, pulling a laminated rules sheet and tape measure from their backpacks while checking each strand.
After review, the obvious was decided. It wasn’t the stick that was torturing the Cardinals. It was Mashewske.
“I’ll shout out my dad, he strings all my sticks for me. I knew it was legal going into the game,” Mashewske joked postgame.
Mashewske won four more draws, finishing with a game-high 16 and setting an all-time program record (440) in Syracuse’s (9-3, 6-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) 22-12 win over Louisville (6-7, 2-4 ACC). It was her second time in the last three games where she won more than 15 draws as she recorded a season-high 18 versus Virginia a week prior.
But between those games came a 12-of-31 performance versus Loyola. And days before the Virginia showing, UAlbany gave it trouble, winning the draw battle by seven at halftime.
The four-game stretch has shown Syracuse’s inconsistency at the draw. But as Mashewske continues to find her footing while the unit gels, Syracuse has given indications of an elite draw control group.
Cole Ross | Digital Design Editor
Last season — after Mashewske suffered a season-ending lower-body injury on March 11, 2023 — the Orange were in a clear predicament. The reigning Inside Lacrosse Second-Team All-American had been Syracuse’s staple in the circle since 2021.
In response, the Orange tried a few options before Olivia Adamson emerged. Though, she struggled at first. In her initial two games as SU’s primary draw taker, Syracuse lost the battle in the circle by nine to Loyola and by five to Duke. Adamson found her stride in Syracuse’s final 12 games, losing the battle just once as SU made the Final Four.
Now with Mashewske back, Syracuse has multiple reliable options to take draw controls. Yet, Mashewske’s rust was apparent to start 2024.
In her first game back from injury, facing then-No. 1 Northwestern, Mashewske won three draws overall. Adamson was subbed in during the second quarter to stop the bleeding, but it didn’t change much. Mashewske came back and the troubles mounted.
“We definitely weren’t great on draws and the game across the board,” SU head coach Kayla Treanor said on Feb. 10. “Our whole draw unit (is) something that we’re gonna have to get better at.”
Mashewske bounced back with nine draw control wins against Army. In SU’s loss to Maryland, Mashewske recorded one but spread the ball to her wings to give the Orange a 12-9 advantage.
Wings Katie Goodale, Natalie Smith and Emma Muchnick have been mainstays on Syracuse’s draw control unit, allowing Mashewske to secure 97 while also collecting a combined 67.
As SU entered ACC play, it appeared Mashewske was back to all-American form. She garnered 10 wins in Syracuse’s upset victory over then-No. 2 Notre Dame and then 11 versus Duke.
“My preparation this week just kind of piggybacked off last week versus Notre Dame,” Mashewske said after SU’s win over Duke on March 2. “Just get back to the basics and (I was) just really dialed in. I think that showed today.”
It seemed like Mashewske had moved past last season’s injury. But versus Stony Brook on March 5, Mashewske and SU’s draw control unit struggled down the stretch. In overtime, Ellie Masera beat Mashewske for a draw control and scored the game-winner minutes later.
Kate Mashewske takes a draw versus Loyola’s Chase Boyle. The Greyhounds won the draw advantage 19-12 versus the Orange. Joe Zhao | Asst. Photo Editor
Two dominant showings in the circle versus Virginia Tech and North Carolina served as temporary recoveries. But then came UAlbany.
The Great Danes won the draw battle 13-6 in the first half, prompting Adamson to be placed into the circle for the majority of the second half. Adamson helped SU win 8-of-10 draws and only lost the overall battle 18-16.
When Mashewske was reeling, Treanor used her depth. And it worked. But, there was no question it was still Mashewske’s position.
“We have a lot of trust in her,” Treanor said on March 19 of Mashewske. “It’s great to just be able to have (Mashewske and Adamson). We have two really good centers.”
Though Syracuse’s draw control unit has produced mixed results throughout the season and has a slightly lower winning percentage (55.02%) than in 2023 (55.46%), it has a program great in Mashewske along with a stable depth piece in Adamson. As postseason play lingers, the two have potential to provide Syracuse’s attack with enough possessions to dominate.
While the Orange lost the draw control battle against No. 7 Loyola on March 27, Greyhounds’ head coach Jen Adams marveled at the threat Syracuse can be when it’s consistent in the circle.
“We fell into a trap of there were five straight draw controls we lost and when you give a high-powered offense like Syracuse that much time and that much possession of the ball, it is tough to stop,” Adams said.
