Men's Soccer Hosts Rutgers Live on Orange All Access
10/17/2006 4:42:59 PM | Men's Soccer
Game Notes
Orange All Access
Live Stats
SYRACUSE, N.Y. - The Syracuse men’s soccer team (6-7-1, 1-7-1) returns to the friendly confines of the SU Soccer Stadium to close out its 2006 campaign. The Orange will host a pair of BIG EAST foes to put the finishing touches on its 73rd capaign beginning with at 7:00 p.m. match against Rutgers on Wednesday, Oct. 18. Audio and video of the game will be available live on suathletics.com as part of Orange All Access. Following the Rutgers contest, SU will wrap up 2006 at home against DePaul on Oct. 21 at 7:00 p.m.
Syracuse saw its two-game winning streak snapped at USF in its last outing. The Bulls defeated the Orange, 2-1, in double overtime. Orange freshman Hansen Woodruff continued his penchant for scoring big goals, tying the match at 1-1 in the 63rd minute, but the Bulls’ Kevon Neaves tallied the golden goal off a free kick with 4:15 remaining in the second extra session to win the match.
SU NETS MOST GOALS SINCE 2003
Syracuse has scored 16 goals in 14 matches this season, besting in its team total for each of the last two seasons. The Orange’s 16 tallies is the most since the 2003 when SU finished the campaign with 20 scores.
The Orange has registered 17 assists this season and has notched at least one helper on 11 of its 16 scores. The SU roster boasts 11 players with at least one assist in 2006, matching last year’s number of Orange players with a helper. Syracuse has 49 total points this year, tying its 2005 team total with two matches left to play.
SCOUTING THE SCARLET KNIGHTS
Rutgers has won its last four matches and brings an overall record of 8-6-0 into Wednesday’s game. The Scarlet Knights are 5-4-0 in conference play have already locked up a spot in the 2006 BIG EAST Championship. Rutgers has 15 points and is currently tied for second place in the Red Division standings.
The Scarlet Knights are coached by legendary mentor Bob Reasso who is in his 26th season at Rutgers. Reasso entered the year ninth among NCAA Division I coaches in career victories and now has 341 wins. He has guided the program to 12 NCAA Tournament appearances in his tenure including the 1990 national championship match. Reasso has coached some of the greatest U.S. players of all-time including Peter Vermes and Alexi Lalas.
The 2006 edition of the Scarlet Knights is one of five BIG EAST teams with an overall team goals against average of less than 1.0. Against BIG EAST competition, the Scarlet Knights have given up nine goals in nine games. Reigning BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Week Matt Van Oekel has four shutouts on the season including making four saves against Red Division leader Cincinnati to lead the Scarlet Knights to a 1-0 victory on Oct. 14. Offensively, Rutgers has tallied 19 goals this season highlighted by a six-goal explosion in a 6-1 victory against Cleveland State on Oct. 13. Rutgers boasts six players that have scored at least five points this year. Kevin O’Connor and Chris Moore lead the way with eight points each and O’Connor leads the team with three goals.
THE SYRACUSE-RUTGERS SERIES
The Orange holds a 6-5-1 record in the all-time series against Rutgers. The Scarlet Knights joined the BIG EAST Conference in 1995 and the two teams have met at least once every year since. Syracuse won three consecutive matches from 2000-02 and it is 4-1-1 in the last six pairings between the two teams.
