Syracuse men’s soccer held to ‘no contest’ after heavy downpour

What started as intermittent spurts of rain in the first half of the Syracuse men’s soccer match devolved into a full-on torrential downpour just after the start of the second, resulting in a no-contest.

The Orange were held to a sloppy 0-0 showing at SU Soccer Stadium against the Siena College Saints on Tuesday night before the game was called off after only 56 minutes of play. In a ‘no contest’ ruling, all statistics and impact on record will be voided.

The No. 7 Syracuse failed to put away any of their chances despite dominating proceedings. The chaotic evening will further frustrate the Syracuse team following the disappointing draw they suffered in the final moments of their hotly contested ACC match against Louisville.

The game’s early stages proceeded according to plan for Syracuse, who kept the ball circulating in the Siena half of the pitch. The home team was able to control the tempo, earning multiple set pieces in dangerous areas.

Unfortunately, none of these opportunities led to goals due to a standout performance from Siena’s freshman goalkeeper, Bennet Glinder, who made multiple saves to keep his team level.

On the opposite end of the pitch, Siena did find a few chances on the break. Still, junior goalkeeper Jason Smith stood strong, making a spectacular pair of back-to-back saves in the 26th minute.

The game eventually slogged into halftime, with both teams struggling to cope with the slick surface and slightly waterlogged pitch. This was just a preview of what was to come.

With around a minute until the start of the second half, the rain again began to pick up. By the time the clock hit the fifty-minute mark, the weather had escalated to a downpour.

Fans who had braved the initial rainfall clamored toward the exits as the athletes on the pitch struggled in their soaked socks and cleats. Each step could be seen kicking up splashes as the field became inundated with water.

Every sliding tackle left marred grass that would quickly turn into small pools throughout the pitch and the ball became heavy as the accumulated rain would limit its mobility.

Although Syracuse continued to dominate proceedings, using their size advantage to keep the ball in the Siena half, with every passing minute, the ball traveled less and less as the marshy pitch began to succumb to the elements. Despite some quality services in the box, Syracuse failed to find the killing blow.

Eventually, the head referee, JC Griggs, called over both head coaches, Syracuse’s Ian McIntyre and Siena’s Graciano Brito, in what seemed like a proposal to call off the match a little after the 53rd minute. The game persisted for a few moments following this meeting, but the ever-slowing pace of the game and the increasing rate of the deluge resulted in the match being called in the 56th minute.

Exasperated reactions from both camps gave the appearance that both sides felt they could come up with a winner, but the referee made the final call.

One positive the Orange can take from the game was the return Noah Singelmann to the starting lineup. The graduate defender captained the side in his first start after missing the first few games of the season with an injury. Singelmann helped his side keep Siena from entering Syracuse’s side of the pitch through 39 minutes of play.

The team will next travel to Winston-Salem, North Carolina, to face a tough ACC competitor in No. 20 Wake Forest on Saturday, Sept. 16. Kick-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. This marks the start of a four-game streak where Syracuse will face ranked teams.