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Sam Layton, Chimere Omeze and Andre Cutler-DeJesus haven’t left the field in Syracuse’s last three games. SU’s backline trio has been a strength, allowing just four goals. Syracuse’s defense overall is letting up just 0.8 goals per game, the 32nd-best mark in the country.

Yet the Orange’s offense has sputtered, causing them to go winless over their last three games. Syracuse has scored just seven goals through its first five contests, ranking 102nd in the country. The seven goals are the fewest from Syracuse in its first five games since 2021. SU started that year 3-2-0 and finished 8-8-2.

Syracuse’s 2024 roster features 22 newcomers, and the new-look group’s lack of offense has been a warning flag early in the year. Still, head coach Ian McIntyre hasn’t hit the panic button.

“It’s time and patience with this group,” McIntyre said Tuesday. “We’d all love to be undefeated, but we’re learning a lot. Every game is an opportunity.”

After starting the season 2-0-1 with two shutouts and a tight draw with Charlotte, Syracuse was ranked No. 7 in the United Soccer Coaches Poll. It was poised to grab a 3-0-1 start against Le Moyne but the Dolphins did the improbable, defeating the Orange 1-0 just a year after becoming a Division I program. SU followed with a 1-1 draw against Boston College, pitting the Orange at 2-1-2, their worst start since 2021.

A lack of shots is not SU’s problem. The Orange have attacked consistently, putting up 20 attempts per game, which ranks second in the nation behind Dayton. SU’s 7.4 shots on goal per game also ranks 11th.

Converting is Syracuse’s issue, as it ranks 166th in the country in shot accuracy. SU scores on just 37% of its attempts, ranking 13th in the Atlantic Coast Conference, only above Clemson (35%) and Pitt (32%). Against Le Moyne and Boston College, the Orange put just 11 of their 42 shots on net.

“We made a couple of mistakes, and ultimately we didn’t produce enough quality to get back in the game,” McIntyre said after losing to Le Moyne.

After the early strike, Le Moyne turned to a defensive focus. The Dolphins sported a deeper back line, recording just three more shots the entire contest, only one of which forced SU goalie Tomas Hut into a save.

Syracuse pushed hard for an equalizer, but struggled to create quality looks on goal.

“You just got to move the ball two, three touches, move the ball around,” Elton Chifamba said postgame. “Just do everything you can to try to break the line down. And unfortunately, we couldn’t do it tonight.”

The Orange received multiple scoring chances in the second half, with four free kicks right outside the goalie box — all of which occurred after the 70th minute. Nicholas Kaloukian, SU’s leading scorer last year, fired his first strike right into the Dolphins’ wall. Then, Carlos Zambrano missed high over the back post. With 26 seconds left, Ernest Bawa took the final of the four free kicks. Like Zambrano, Bawa missed above the net, clinching the upset win for Le Moyne.

Syracuse not only put up 28 shots against the Dolphins, but it also had 10 corner kicks. Despite every scoring opportunity coming SU’s way, it couldn’t muster a goal.

“It’s not how long you have the ball or the number of chances, it’s (that) you’ve got to execute,” McIntyre said.

The Orange rank dead last in the ACC in shooting percentage, with just 7% of SU’s shots finding the back of the net. Syracuse hasn’t finished below 8% since 2011, when it finished at 7.9%. Syracuse ended the 2011 season 3-12-1 and 1-7-1 in conference play.

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Against Boston College, the Orange bounced back quickly. Just 43 seconds into the game, Michael Acquah’s cross found Gabe Threadgold, who buried a shot from six yards out to put Syracuse up 1-0.

However, the Orange corralled just three more shots on goal the entire game. The Eagles knotted the game in the 22nd minute and loaded on the pressure for the remainder of the contest. Boston College created two prime chances to take the lead in the 88th minute, but Hut kept his composure and allowed the Orange to escape with a tie.

Next, Syracuse eyes undefeated No. 17 Virginia Tech Friday. The Hokies are the biggest test the Orange have seen so far this season. VT boasts the 20th-best scoring offense in the country, registering 2.6 goals per game. It also has the 15th-best scoring defense in the country, allowing 0.6 goals a contest.

Syracuse has a tall task Friday, but it could serve as the turning point for its season. Despite the shaky start, McIntyre believes in his young team to uphold SU’s standard.

“I’m excited to see where we are in October,” McIntyre said. “We’ll have some good days and some days that we know that we’ve got to get better from. But the attitude, the energy, it’s a terrific group.”

Published on September 12, 2024 at 12:57 am

Contact Nick: nsjepson@syr.edu