Rubio's Second-Half Goal Lifts Orange Past Buckeyes

Wednesday, October 18

Columbus, OH

7 pm

Syracuse University

6-7-2

Ohio State

7-6-1

Syracuse

Ohio State

Photo by: Michael J. Okoniewski

Rubio's Second-Half Goal Lifts Orange Past Buckeyes

10/18/2017 10:03:00 PM | Men's Soccer

Box Score Cuse TV: Highlights

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Freshman Lukas Rubio scored his first career goal in the 50th minute to give Syracuse a 2-1 victory at Ohio State on Wednesday, Oct. 18. The win snaps the Orange's four-game losing streak and improves their record to 6-7-2.

HOW IT WAS DECIDED
Syracuse took the lead in the 26th minute when another freshman, Tajon Buchanan (Broomfield, Colo.), found the back of the net. Sophomore Johannes Pieles started the scoring play when he lobbed a pass into the box where Buchanan chipped it over Ohio State goalkeeper Parker Siegfried, who had come out to play the ball.

Siegfried was injured on Buchanan's goal, causing a slight delay in the game. When play resumed, the Buckeyes (7-6-1) answered 37 seconds later on a set piece. Off a corner kick, Syracuse goalkeeper Hendrik Hilpert made a diving stop on Mitch Bergman's header, but couldn't control the ball, which deflected to Nate Kohl. Kohl put his shot in the back of the net to even the score at 1-1.

The game winner came in the 50th minute when Rubio took a pass from junior Jonathan Hagman at the top box. He spun and put his shot in the back right of the net for his first career goal to give Syracuse the lead for good.

Hilpert and the Orange defense withstood a late push by Ohio State to make the one-goal lead stand up in Syracuse's final non-conference regular-season match this season.

"We played very well tonight," said Syracuse head coach Ian McIntyre. "We had a number of chances before Tajon's goal. Unfortunately, after the delay when their goalkeeper went down, we got caught flat-footed. But I'm happy with the way we responded after they scored. We were poised and calm and continued to play. It was a big game against a Big Ten team on the road."

OF NOTE
Syracuse has now played 13 one-goal games this season. The Orange improved their record in those contests to 4-7-2.

"We will take confidence from this game (into the final two ACC games against No. 7 Clemson and No. 2 Wake Forest)," McIntyre said. "The coaching staff and I have been telling the guys that we've been close, we've just been on the wrong side of these one-goal games. It was important for the guys to get something to show for their efforts. We fully deserved to win this game. I'm proud and pleased for them. They haven't quit and continue to put forth great effort."

UP NEXT
Syracuse hosts No. 7 Clemson in its final regular-season home match on Saturday, Oct. 21 at 7 p.m. at the SU Soccer Stadium. The Orange's senior class will be honored in a pregame ceremony.