Syracuse has played two games this spring. Both have been against non-conference teams ranked in the top five of the Nike/US Lacrosse Division I Women’s Top 20.

Both have been blowouts in favor of the Orange.

In their first game in the renovated Carrier Dome, the No. 2 Orange dismantled No. 5 Stony Brook 16-6. Megan Carney scored five goals, and Sam Swart and Sierra Cockerille added four each.

Meg Carney goes for goals. @CuseWLAX dominates @StonyBrookWLAX 16-6 without Emily Hawryschuk. pic.twitter.com/r8C1IEnLdK

— US Lacrosse Magazine (@USLacrosseMag) February 27, 2021

The story here, though, was that Tewaaraton favorite Emily Hawryschuk did not play. Seen on the sideline multiple times during the ACC Network broadcast using crutches to move around, Hawryschuk reportedly suffered a lower body injury at practice Friday evening. A source told US Lacrosse Magazine that the injury was to her ACL.

I’m told Emily Hawryschuk’s injury is to her ACL. When a school says “lower body injury,” that’s very often the case.

— Kenny DeJohn (@kennydejohn) February 27, 2021

In Hawryschuk’s stead, her teammates picked up the slack. The offense was crisp, scoring 16 times on just 21 shots on goal. The Orange (2-0) peppered Stony Brook (2-2) goalkeeper Kameron Halsall, who allowed 14 goals and made four saves before being lifted in favor of Haley Hunt, who allowed two goals and made one stop. Their counterpart, Asa Goldstock, made 11 saves and kickstarted the Syracuse offense in transition.

For the second straight game, Syracuse held a highly touted offense to just six goals. The Orange throttled then-No. 3 Loyola 18-6 last weekend in Baltimore behind a swarming defense that harassed the Greyhounds.

They did the same Saturday. Stony Brook took just 19 shots, and the dynamic duo of Ally Kennedy and Taryn Ohlmiller was held without a goal. Ohlmiller managed three assists, but Kennedy was kept without a point. Against Loyola, top talent Livy Rosenzweig was also held without a goal.

Kennedy did win five draw controls, but that was perhaps the only high point on the circle for Stony Brook. Syracuse won 16 of 24 draws, led by Katelyn Mashewske’s seven. Morgan Widner started the game taking draws before head coach Gary Gait opted to switch to Mashewske.

If Syracuse has made anything clear in its first two games, it’s that its defense can handle any offense in the country. The Orange’s next six opponents are ranked — a byproduct of the loaded ACC — but the marquee matchup comes April 3 when Syracuse heads to Chapel Hill to face No. 1 North Carolina.

That will surely be must-watch.