Syracuse men’s soccer season ends at NCAA second round

After their NCAA Division I Championship win last season, Syracuse men’s soccer bowed out of this year’s edition following a 3-0 defeat to the New Hampshire Wildcats.

Syracuse University came into the match following a 3-1 win over Boston University on Thursday, hoping to replicate this result versus a New Hampshire side that was making their seventh consecutive NCAA appearance.

The Orange began on the back foot straight away, with the Wildcats dominating possession in the opening proceedings of the tie.

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An early goal conceded on Thursday meant Syracuse faced a familiar task, albeit in unfamiliar territory. SU couldn’t cope with the pressing style New Hampshire deployed, resulting in numerous turnovers and wayward passes. Their midfield couldn’t match the home team either as they drove runs that unsettled the team’s balance.

The open midfield meant the Wildcats could control the tempo of the game, and Syracuse was constantly second to loose balls. This meant the Orange provided little to no threat towards the opposition goal, with their first shot coming in the 31st minute.

The Orange’s defense was once again undone in the 37th minute when a shot just outside the six-yard box put Ian McIntyre’s men 2-0 down. However, they created a few openings in the final five minutes, closing out the half with promise.

Syracuse came out for the second half how they left off.

SU began with purpose and used dominance in possession to cause nervy moments for the Wildcats. Though this dominance translated to purposeful attacking passages of plays, the end product in the final third was disappointing. Nevertheless, they continued to make use of possession, using the flanks for chance creation.

Where the Oranges benefited from corners and crosses on Thursday, they weren’t able to bring the same efficiency to New Hampshire; and with all of Syracuse’s possession, they couldn’t put it to good use.

The tie was put to bed following a succession of Orange errors that led to the third goal in the 61st minute. The goal saw the Wildcats claw back control of the match, ultimately seeing out the game.

The final whistle let head coach Ian McIntyre’s men know their season had come to an end, with some players in the squad potentially playing their final game for the team.