Syracuse University
#8 Rutgers
Orangmen Soccer Upsets Eighth-Ranked Rutgers
10/17/2001 10:50:03 PM | Men's Soccer
PISCATAWAY, N.J. - Junior midfielder Ryan Hall (Great Falls, Va./Herndon) scored the game-winning goal in the 96th minute to give the Syracuse men's soccer team a 3-2 overtime victory at eighth-ranked Rutgers on Wednesday, Oct. 17. The SU victory snapped the Scarlet Knights' nine-match unbeaten streak.
Syracuse improved to 7-4 overall and 4-3 in the BIG EAST, while Rutgers is now 8-2-2 and 4-1-1 in the league after suffering their first loss since Sept. 7.
Hall's goal was the result of a scramble in front of the Rutgers net. Scarlet Knights' goalkeeper Ricky Zinter came out to play a loose, but was unable to control it. Hall gained possession and found the back of the net while Zinter tried to recover. It was Hall's career-high fourth goal of the season.
Rutgers took a 1-0 lead in the 17th minute when Dennis Ludwig scored his 10th goal of the season on assists from Dustin Sheppard and Guy Abrahamson. RU took the 1-0 advantage into halftime, but sophomore forward Kirk Johnson (Chester Springs, Pa./Downingtown) tallied his 11th goal of the season just 2:42 into the second half to knot the score at 1-1.
The Orangemen took their first lead of the game in the 67th minute when freshman forward Jarett Park (Tully, N.Y./Christian Brothers Academy) put in his fifth goal of the season. Park converted a cross by Johnson with a header into the upper-left corner of the net. Senior forward Matt Torok (Wyomissing, Pa./Wyomissing Area) was also credited with an assist. Rutgers tied the game seven minutes later on a score by Dustin Sheppard with an assist by Gustavo Mora.
The game remained tied until the 95:09 mark when Hall was able to deliver the game-winning score. Junior midfielder Guido Cristofori (Fairport, N.Y./Fairport) made a long throw to Park who was able to head the ball out of a pack to Hall.
Senior goalkeeper Anthony Peters (Schenectady, N.Y./Schalmont) was the winning goalkeeper. He made five saves in his fifth win of the season. Zinter made four saves in the loss for Rutgers.
The Orangemen have now defeated top-10 teams on the road in two consecutive seasons. Last year, Syracuse upset top-ranked Connecticut, 1-0, in Storrs. SU continues its stretch of four-consecutive BIG EAST games on Sunday, Oct. 21 when it hosts Seton Hall at 1 p.m.
