Sports SUmmary: Three football players earn ACC honors, men’s soccer defeats Clemson

Sports SUmmary: Three Syracuse football players earn ACC honors and soccer defeats Clemson

Women's hockey starts its 2022 season with first game against Colgate on Saturday.

Story by Meghan Curtis

Published: September 22, 2022

Syracuse quarterback Garrett Shrader hands the ball off to running back Sean Tucker during Saturday's game against Purdue.

Syracuse quarterback Garrett Shrader, defensive lineman Caleb Okechukwu and linebacker Mikel Jones received ACC Players of the Week awards for their efforts against Purdue on Saturday.

Shrader was on fire in the fourth quarter, throwing three touchdowns including a 25 yard game-winning throw with seven seconds left in the game to wide receiver Oronde Gadsden II. He led Syracuse in rushing yards with 83 on 17 attempts.

On top of earning ACC QB of the week, Shrader received the Manning Award Star of the Week. The award is decided by the Sugar Bowl committee and represents the best collegiate quarterback in the country.

Okechukwu scored a touchdown from a pick-6 throw from Purdue quarterback Aidan O’Connell midway through the fourth quarter. His efforts allowed the Orange to extend its lead to a 10-point deficit. He also executed two tackles in the game.

Jones led the Orange with 11 tackles, being three away from earning the ACC single-game high this season. He recorded 1.5 tackles for loss and a sack on O’Connell.

Syracuse with its 3-0 record hopes to continue its winning streak this Friday at 7 p.m. against ACC opponent Virginia (2-1) in the JMA Wireless Dome.

Ballers.https://t.co/ARmhXD2f9U pic.twitter.com/GplCfPRQAi

— Syracuse Football (@CuseFootball) September 19, 2022

Men’s soccer defeats defending national champions, top-ranked Clemson

The Orange beat No. 1 Clemson Friday on the Tigers’ turf. After a slow start, Syracuse came out on top 2-1.

Clemson was quick to score first, scoring its lone goal in less than eight minutes of play. The Orange followed up tying the score with a goal by midfielder Jeorgio Kocevski, assisted by forward Levonte Johnson.

After being substituted back into the game, Johnson quickly scored the winning goal in the second period. The Tigers tried its best to clap back, but a shot to the top left corner of the goal by Titus Sandy Jr. was saved by Syracuse goalkeeper Russell Shealy right before the final whistle blew.

Both Johnson and Shealy earned ACC Player of the Week awards — Johnson for his offensive efforts and Shealy for defensive efforts.

The Orange followed up this win over Clemson with a shutout win against Colgate on Tuesday. Up next, the Orange hosts ACC opponent Virginia (5-3) Saturday at 7 p.m.

A 🎯from Levonte Johnson takes down No. 1 Clemson!

This squad 🧡⚽️🍊#DareToDream pic.twitter.com/wONxf86LtP

— Syracuse Men’s Soccer (@CuseMSOC) September 17, 2022

Syracuse women’s ice hockey starts season this Saturday

Reigning College Hockey America Champions, Syracuse ice hockey is set to begin its season Saturday at 4 p.m. at Colgate.

The Orange won its lone exhibition game Saturday against Union 3-1. Upperclassmen Tatum White, Brynn Koocher and Anna Leschyshyn scored Syracuse’s three goals.

The new season also brings a new Syracuse head coach — Britni Smith, the Orange’s second ever head coach, who joined the team in May. Smith has a long list of accomplishments as a past player as well as a coach. She previously was the assistant coach for Clarkson (2014-2022) where she helped lead the team to seven appearances in the NCAA tournament and winning back-to-back NCAA National Championships (2017 and 2018).