Graduate defender Bo van Kempen has become lifeblood of SU’s offense

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Syracuse’s go-to option has been no secret this season. Whenever the Orange have needed a goal off a penalty corner, they go to one person — Bo van Kempen. Across SU’s 10 wins this season, van Kempen is responsible for game-winning goals in seven contests.

“I really like playing under pressure,” van Kempen said. “I played more (high-leverage situations) over time, and it became more natural.”

In her first season with Syracuse, van Kempen has made a massive impact as a graduate student. The defender previously spent her time at Liemers College in the Netherlands before going overseas to join SU. Her team-leading 12 goals ranks second in the Atlantic Coast Conference, only trailing North Carolina’s Charly Bruder. Van Kempen’s goal tally is more than double that of Syracuse’s second leading scorer, Willemijn Boogert.

Van Kempen’s heroics first appeared on Sept. 15 against Lafayette. SU led 1-0 early, but the Leopards equalized with three minutes to go. With 35 seconds left, Syracuse forced a penalty corner. Off the insertion, van Kempen slotted home her fourth goal of the season.

“I was standing on the top of the circle and visualizing what I wanted to do,” van Kempen said. “The insertion was really good. The trapper trapped the ball in a perfect spot, and the only thing I had to do was put the ball in the back of the goal. It was a really cool moment.”

Since then, van Kempen has made a habit of scoring big goals. She scored the lone goal in SU’s win over Wake Forest on Sept. 27 and added two more in a 2-1 win over Louisville on Oct. 4. Two days later, she tallied a game-winner against Princeton. Van Kempen’s latest triumph came on Oct. 13 against Cal, where she recorded two goals in a comeback victory.

“We knew she would be at the top of the circle and a huge component of our (penalty corner attack) group,” Syracuse head coach Lynn Farquhar said. “The intent was for her to be an impactful player right away.”

Despite her success, van Kempen didn’t grow up in a field hockey family. Both her father, Ardi van Kempen, and brother played soccer while her mother was a gymnast. When she was 5, her hometown gave kids the opportunity to try a variety of sports. Van Kempen started with field hockey.

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She started her career playing on the Zevenaar Field Hockey Club, though coaches soon realized van Kempen should be playing at a higher level.

“The trainers said, ‘This club is too small. She has got so much talent,’” Ardi said.
The coaches recommended van Kempen play with kids twice her age. She moved to SV Kampong Hockey when she was 8 and started playing against more experienced players.

Van Kempen continued to develop playing for Kampong, but her final two seasons at the junior level were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

She eventually ended up at Promotea so she could continue her training. That’s where van Kempen met Toon Siepman, who taught her the drag flick, a scoring technique that she still uses. Siepman is known as “the drag flick guru,” according to Ardi. Players from all over the world seek Siepman’s advice on how to improve at it.

Initially, Siepman worked with van Kempen once a month. Though once van Kempen graduated to the top senior level and played for MOP, she started training weekly with Siepman.

Over the next two years, van Kempen reaped the benefits of learning the technique. She scored 126 goals in a single season while playing in an indoor field hockey league. The skill over time has become second nature for van Kempen, which led to a smooth transition at Syracuse.

Van Kempen spends ample time in the film room, studying to perfect her penalty corner routine. SU assistant coach Emma Russell said the drag flick is a specialized skill, but she credits van Kempen’s preparation for why she is ready for the game’s biggest moments.

“She practices the drag flick every day of the week,” Russell said. “She can put the drag flick anywhere. It can take years to become efficient with it.”

As a result, Van Kempen’s goal-scoring prowess has shined through with Syracuse. She’s provided an edge for the Orange, who’ve won 10 games for the fourth straight season.

“She asks the inserter and trapper exactly what she needs,” Russell said. “She raises the standard.”

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