Orange Hosts Rutgers in Key BIG EAST Game
10/20/2004 11:00:57 AM | Men's Soccer
SYRACUSE, N.Y. - The Syracuse men's soccer team will take on Rutgers on Wednesday, Oct. 20. Kickoff at the SU Soccer Stadium is set for 7 p.m.
The game is key to each team’s hopes of qualifying for the BIG EAST Tournament. The Orange has five games remaining, all in BIG EAST play, to make a run at the postseason. Rutgers is currently in ninth place with eight points, one out of the final playoff spot. West Virginia is currently sitting in the eighth and final tournament spot with nine points. Syracuse has lost its last seven games, all by one goal. In fact, the Orange has had its last 14 games decided by one goal. SU has faced ranked opponents in each of its last three outings and come away with 1-0 losses each time. The Orange has lost a school-record seven 1-0 games this season. Before 2004, Syracuse had never lost consecutive 1-0 games. This season, SU has lost three straight games by a 1-0 margin two times. SU is still searching for not only its first BIG EAST win, but also its first win at home. SU’s six-game home losing streak is its longest since losing seven straight in 1997 and 1998. It is just the second time in the nine-year history of the SU Soccer Stadium that the Orange has a losing record at home (3-6, 1997).
Rutgers is on a losing streak of its own, losing the last two games, 3-2 at Georgetown and 1-0 at Connecticut. The Scarlet Knights have not won a BIG EAST road game this season, going 0-2-1. The lone tie came at St. John’s (0-0) on October 6. Chris Karcz and Scott Gahagan lead the offense wiht six points each on three goals. Karcz has played in eight games, starting seven, after a remarkable comeback from a knee injury. He suffered a torn ACL in June, but returned to the pitch versus Villanova on September 22. Andrew Herman is Rutgers’ other multiple goal scorer with two. Ten different players have scored goals for the Scarlet Knights. Lubos Ancin played all but one game in goal, posting a 0.72 goals against average and six shutouts. He has made 29 saves in 13 games. George Vasilakis allowed three goals in his only appearance against Pittsburgh.
Syracuse leads the all-time series 5-4-1. The only tie came last season in Piscataway when the Orange and 13th-ranked Scarlet Knights battled to a 1-1 draw. The Orange is unbeaten in its last four meetings with Rutgers (3-0-1) and has won three straight at home versus the Scarlet Knights. Rutgers’ last win at the SU Soccer Stadium was in 2-1 overtime victory in 1996, the first year of the facility.
JOHNSON BECOMES SEVENTH NEW STARTERFreshman Aric Johnson made his first career start against Seton Hall. It was his third appearance overall after joining the team after the start of the season. He has one assist in his young career. Johnson is the seventh freshman to start a game for the Orange this season. Rookies Isaac Collings, James Goodwin and Brad Peetoom have started all 12 games for SU. Pete Rowley started three times before going down with an injury, while Justin Van Houten made two starts before suffering an injury. EVANS OWNS SU’S LONGEST GAMES PLAYED STREAK
Junior forward Jeff Evans has come off the bench in the last two games after suffering a knee injury against Georgetown. Despite the injury, Evans has played in 33 consecutive games dating back to his freshman season. He played the last four games of 2002, all 17 games last season and 12 straight games in 2004. It is the longest active streak on the Orange. Evans has five goals, four assists and 14 points during his streak. PITTSBURGH GAME RESCHEDULED
SU’s game at Pittsburgh that was postponed because of weather on September 18 has been rescheduled for Tuesday, November 2. The game will be played at Pittsburgh at 7 p.m. It will be the regular-season finale for both schools.
