23rd-Ranked Orangemen Host 16th-Ranked Huskies
10/12/2001 5:46:20 PM | Men's Soccer
SYRACUSE, N.Y. - The 23rd-ranked Syracuse men's soccer team will host a top-25 matchup when the 16th-ranked Connecticut Huskies visit the Soccer Stadium at the Lampe Athletics Complex on Saturday, Oct. 13 at 7 p.m. The Orangemen are 6-3 overall and 3-2 in the BIG EAST. Connecticut is 7-2-2 overall and 4-0 in the league.
The Orangemen have won three consecutive games, scoring four goals in each of the wins. It is the first time since 1952 that SU has scored four or more times in three consecutive games.
Sophomore Kirk Johnson (Chester Springs, Pa./Downingtown) leads Syracuse's offense with 10 goals and 24 points. Both totals rank among the top 10 in the nation. Freshman forward Jarett Park (Tully, N.Y./Christian Brothers Academy) leads not only the team, but the country in assists with a 1.33 per game average. Park is second on the team with 18 points. Senior co-captain John Andrade (East Providence, R.I./East Providence) also ranks among the nation's leaders in assists with a 0.78 per game average.
Senior goalkeeper Anthony Peters (Schenectady, N.Y./Schalmont) is the reigning BIG EAST and ECAC Goalkeeper of the Week. Peters has been between the posts for each of SU's last three wins and leads the team with a 1.47 goals against average.
Connecticut is the defending national champion and features last season's national player of the year in Chris Gbandi. The Huskies are one of four teams unbeaten in conference play. They enter Saturday's game on the heels of a 1-0 victory versus 21st-ranked Boston College on Wednesday.
Syracuse trails the all-time series with the Huskies, 14-9-3. The two teams split a pair of games last season. The Orangemen defeated the then top-ranked Huskies, 1-0, on the road before losing at Connecticut in the quarterfinals of the BIG EAST Tournament. Andrade scored the game's only goal off a rebound of his own penalty kick.
