Luis Martinez leads the Orange with two assists.
Orange Hosts Friars in First Home Conference Match of 2006
9/13/2006 10:06:31 AM | Men's Soccer
SYRACUSE, N.Y. - After two road conference games, the Orange men’s soccer team returns to the SU Soccer Stadium for its first BIG EAST home match of 2006 when it meets Providence on Thursday, Sept. 14 at 7:00 p.m. at the SU Soccer Stadium. Thursday’s contest was originally scheduled for Friday, Sept. 15, but television and travel schedules resulted in the change in game date.
Syracuse is 3-2-0 overall after losing consecutive conference matches at Georgetown on Sept. 8 and Seton Hall on Sept. 10. The Orange was competitive in both contests, playing scoreless soccer against the Hoyas for more than 100 minutes and nearly forcing overtime against the Pirates before losing each match by a goal.
Since the BIG EAST started regular-season conference play in 1985, the Orange is 10-7-4 in home conference openers, including four straight victories from 1999-2002. Last season, SU played Marquette to a 1-1 draw in its first home BIG EAST clash.
Kyle Hall leads the Orange with four goals and eight points and five players each have one goal for Syracuse. Sophomore goalkeeper Robert Cavicchia has played every minute in net for Dean Foti’s club and has 16 saves.
HALL AMONG NATIONAL GOAL LEADERS
SU forward Kyle Hall ranks in the top 25 in the country in goals scored per game. He is currently 24th at 0.8 goals per contest. Hall scored at least once in each of SU’s first three matches. He netted a career-best two scores on Sept. 1 in the Orange’s come-from-behind win at Loyola, including the game winner in overtime. Hall leads Syracuse in goals (4) and points (8). His four goals are tied for second in the BIG EAST behind Notre Dame’s Joseph Lapira who leads the conference with five. Hall is tied for sixth in the BIG EAST in points (8) and ranks fifth in points per game at (1.60).
SU forward Kyle Hall ranks in the top 25 in the country in goals scored per game. He is currently 24th at 0.8 goals per contest. Hall scored at least once in each of SU’s first three matches. He netted a career-best two scores on Sept. 1 in the Orange’s come-from-behind win at Loyola, including the game winner in overtime. Hall leads Syracuse in goals (4) and points (8). His four goals are tied for second in the BIG EAST behind Notre Dame’s Joseph Lapira who leads the conference with five. Hall is tied for sixth in the BIG EAST in points (8) and ranks fifth in points per game at (1.60).
ORANGE LEADS THE CONFERENCE IN ASSISTS PER GAME
Several members of the SU offense has been involved in the Orange’s goals this season. SU leads the BIG EAST in assists per game (1.8) with nine in five games. The Orange has notched at least one helper on seven of its nine tallies in 2006. Freshman Luis Martinez leads the club with two assists and seven other SU players have one helper. The Orange, who finished with 19 assists in 2005, are almost halfway to last season’s total in five matches.
Several members of the SU offense has been involved in the Orange’s goals this season. SU leads the BIG EAST in assists per game (1.8) with nine in five games. The Orange has notched at least one helper on seven of its nine tallies in 2006. Freshman Luis Martinez leads the club with two assists and seven other SU players have one helper. The Orange, who finished with 19 assists in 2005, are almost halfway to last season’s total in five matches.
SCOUTING THE FRIARS
Providence has won its last three games, including a pair of BIG EAST victories, to improve its record to 4-1-0 overall. The Friars knocked off Boston University on the road and then notched home triumphs against Villanova and Rutgers last weekend. Providence has surrendered just one goal in the last three games and has outscored its opponents, 6-1, during its current winning streak. The Friars are third in the conference in team goals against average (0.80) and tied for second in total goals allowed (4). Goalkeeper Chris Konopka ranks third in save percentage (.867). He has played all 450 minutes in goal this season for the Friars and he is tied for third in the BIG EAST in saves with 26. Providence also boasts the reigning league Defensive Player of the Week in Kevin Neuman. Neuman scored a goal against Villanova and helped the Friars to a 2-0 shutout of the Scarlet Knights. Offensively, Alex Bury has has led the charge for the Friars. He has three goals and one assist for a total of seven points. Hadrien Toure is second on the team with two scores and Providence has 11 players that have registered at least one point in 2006.
Providence has won its last three games, including a pair of BIG EAST victories, to improve its record to 4-1-0 overall. The Friars knocked off Boston University on the road and then notched home triumphs against Villanova and Rutgers last weekend. Providence has surrendered just one goal in the last three games and has outscored its opponents, 6-1, during its current winning streak. The Friars are third in the conference in team goals against average (0.80) and tied for second in total goals allowed (4). Goalkeeper Chris Konopka ranks third in save percentage (.867). He has played all 450 minutes in goal this season for the Friars and he is tied for third in the BIG EAST in saves with 26. Providence also boasts the reigning league Defensive Player of the Week in Kevin Neuman. Neuman scored a goal against Villanova and helped the Friars to a 2-0 shutout of the Scarlet Knights. Offensively, Alex Bury has has led the charge for the Friars. He has three goals and one assist for a total of seven points. Hadrien Toure is second on the team with two scores and Providence has 11 players that have registered at least one point in 2006.
"Providence plays very direct," Foti said. "What I mean by that is they don't play through thirds of the field like we do. They get the ball from their back four to back of your team in hurry. It's a different style than a lot of the teams we play."
THE SYRACUSE-PROVIDENCE SERIES
Syracuse and Providence have split the last four meetings with the Friars getting the best of the Orange last season, 3-2, in Rhode Island. SU holds a 14-8 advantage in the all-time series which began with a clash in the 1983 BIG EAST Tournament. The Orange won that match, 4-3. Syracuse holds the longest winning streak in series history, posting seven consecutive victories against the Friars from 1991-97. The Orange notched six straight shutouts during that stretch, including four 1-nil wins. The Friars ended SU’s series domination with a 1-0 overtime shutout of its own in 1998.
Syracuse and Providence have split the last four meetings with the Friars getting the best of the Orange last season, 3-2, in Rhode Island. SU holds a 14-8 advantage in the all-time series which began with a clash in the 1983 BIG EAST Tournament. The Orange won that match, 4-3. Syracuse holds the longest winning streak in series history, posting seven consecutive victories against the Friars from 1991-97. The Orange notched six straight shutouts during that stretch, including four 1-nil wins. The Friars ended SU’s series domination with a 1-0 overtime shutout of its own in 1998.
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