Orange Soccer to Face Unbeaten Panthers
9/17/2004 11:19:31 AM | Men's Soccer
INDIANOLA, Pa. - The Syracuse men's soccer team will play its first BIG EAST road game of the season, taking on the Pittsburgh Panthers on Saturday, Sept. 18 at 1 p.m. SU is 2-3-0 overall and 0-1-0 in conference play, while the Panthers are 2-0-2 overall and 0-0-1 in the BIG EAST.
Saturday's game is the second game of Syracuse’s season-long five-game road stretch. SU has won its first two road games, 2-1 at Cornell and 1-0 at Oneonta. Rookies have keyed the Syracuse offense thus far in 2004 with three freshman combining for four of the Orange’s five goals. Freshman defender Brad Peetoom became the third newcomer to score a goal with his first career marker at Oneonta. Freshman forward Pete Rowley leads the team with two goals, while redshirt freshman Isaac Collings has a goal and an assist. Junior Jeff Evans has accounted for SU’s other tally, the game-winner at Cornell. Junior goalkeeper Rich Scheer has started the last four games in net, going 2-2 with a 1.00 goals against average. Scheer notched his second career shutout at Oneonta without making a save. The Orange salvaged a victory versus the Red Dragons despite the absence of three starters. Rowley, sophomore midfielder Richard Asante and junior tri-captain Mike McCallion all missed the game due to injuries.The Panthers have yet to lose a game in 2004, entering Saturday’s matchup with a 2-0-2 record overall and a 0-0-1 mark in BIG EAST play. Pittsburgh owns victories versus Canisius (3-0) and Hofstra (2-1) and has tied Rutgers (3-3) and Long Island (0-0). The Panthers are tied for first in the BIG EAST with a 2.0 goals per game average. Billy Brush and Keeyan Young have each tallied two goals, while Young also leads the team with two assists. Justin Lowery has recieved the majority of playing time in goal for Pittsburgh. In 275 minutes, Lowery boasts a 0.98 goals against average and two shutouts. Andy Jorgensen started last time out versus Hofstra, making eight saves and allowing one goal. Saturday’s game is the Panthers’ first home contest since the season-opener against Canisius on Sept. 1.
The Panthers hold a 7-5-2 advantage versus the Orange. SU is making its second straight trip to Pittsburgh. The Orange lost last season, 3-2, in the season finale. SU’s last victory in the series was a 4-1 home win on Oct. 6, 2001. Because of the BIG EAST’s rotating schedule, the two teams did not meet in 2002. The Panthers have won the last two meetings on their home field. SU’s last win at Pittsburgh was a 1-0 decision in 1998.
SU WINNING ON THE ROAD
Both of the Orange’s victories this season have come on the road, a 2-1 win at Cornell and a 1-0 win at Oneonta. SU has won two consecutive road games for the first time since 2001. The Orange has not won three straight road games since the 1999 season (2-1 at Villanova, 3-2 at Providence, 3-0 at Boston College). Syracuse is trying to stop a seven-game winless streak in BIG EAST road games (0-6-1). SU’s last road win in conference play was a 2-1 victory at West Virginia on Oct. 5, 2002.
ORANGE PICKS UP RARE 1-0 VICTORY
Syracuse defeated Oneonta, 1-0, on Sept. 14. It was the Orange’s first 1-0 victory since Sept. 3, 2003 versus Albany. It was the squad’s first such win on the road since defeating #1 Connecticut in Storrs on Oct. 14, 2000. Since the start of the 1999 season, SU has won just five games by a 1-0 score and is 5-36-8 when scoring fewer than two times in a game. Conversely, SU’s two-goal effort against Cornell upped the Oranges’s record since the start of the 1999 season to 35-7-2 when scoring at least twice. Last season the Orange went 3-1-1 when scoring multiple goals. The only loss was to Pittsburgh, 3-2, in the season finale. Syracuse has won 17 consecutive games when scoring at least three goals. The squad’s last loss when registering three-or-more goals was a 5-4 overtime game at #11 Georgetown on Oct. 18, 1998.
