Men's Soccer Loses Regular-Season Finale, 1-0

Saturday, October 29

SU Soccer Stadium

7 p.m.

Syracuse University

Villanova

Senior Mike McCallion recorded one shot in his final home match.

10/29/2005 10:04:44 PM | Men's Soccer

Box Score

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The Orange men’s soccer team (7-8-3, 3-7-1 BIG EAST) lost its regular-season finale at the SU Soccer Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 29 to Villanova (6-7-3, 5-4-1 BIG EAST) by the score of 1-0. Syracuse will learn its postseason fate on Monday, Oct. 31 following the 1:00 p.m. DePaul/Villanova match.

The Blue Demons and Wildcats have to make up a game that was originally scheduled for Oct. 8, but was postponed. A DePaul victory means the Blue Demons clinch the final spot in the 2005 BIG EAST Championship. A loss or tie by the Blue Demons and Syracuse will secure the championship’s final bid.

The Orange dominated the statistics versus Villanova on Saturday, outshooting the Wildcats, 14-4, including eight shots on goal to the Wildcats’ one, and SU owned an 8-3 margin in corner kicks.

The Wildcats’ Charlie Rowan notched the match’s only goal in the 81^st minute after juggling a pass sent to him by Greg Winther. Rowan flicked the ball into the air and booted a shot over SU keeper Robert Cavicchia (North York, Ontario) to provide the winning margin.

The Orange’s best chance to get on the scoreboard came in the first minute of the game when redshirt freshman Pete Rowley (Reading, Pa.) sent a pass in front to sophomore James Goodwin (Merrimack, N.H.). Goodwin dove and headed the pass toward the net, but the shot was stopped by a diving Jason Friel for Villanova.

Syracuse also recorded an excellent scoring chance with 15 minutes to play. Friel lunged and got a piece of shot from the right side of the box by Rowley, and sophomore Isaac Collings’ (Oriskany, N.Y.) shot attempt on the rebound squirted wide of the far post.

The match marked the final home game for senior starters Pat Gallagher (St. Louis, Mo.), Ezra Prendergast (Kingston, Jamaica) and Mike McCallion (Ballston Lake, N.Y.) McCallion finished with one shot in the contest and Gallagher and Prendergast were members of an Orange defense that only allowed four shots, just one of which was on goal.

Wildcats’ keeper Jason Friel made eight saves to earn the shutout.

Syracuse finished its home slate with a 6-4-2 record, the second time in three seasons it posted a winning record at the SU Soccer Stadium.