Syracuse University
Pittsburgh
SU Hosts Pitt In BIG EAST Opener
9/24/2010 9:48:21 AM | Men's Soccer
Live Stats | Game Notes
SYRACUSE, N.Y. - After more than three weeks on the road, the SU men's soccer team (1-4-1) returns home to host Pittsburgh (4-2-0) on Saturday, Sept. 25 at 6 p.m. The game is the BIG EAST Conference opener for both teams.
Saturday promises to be a special night at the SU Soccer Stadium as the Orange will celebrate the 25th anniversary of the program's 1985 BIG EAST Championship. Members of that legendary squad will recognized in brief on-field ceremony prior to kickoff. Admission for the match is free. Fans should click here for information regarding parking options.
The Pitt match is Syracuse's first home game since the Sept. 1 season opener against Siena. The Orange went 1-3-1 during its five-game road trip and is coming off a 1-1 draw at Cornell Wednesday.
SILVER ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION
The Orange will recognize the 1985 BIG EAST Championship in short ceremony prior to kickoff. The squad will also be introduced pre-game at the Syracuse-Colgate football game at the Carrier Dome earlier in the afternoon.
Coached by Tim Hankinson, Syracuse went 12-6-4 overall in 1985 and 2-1-1 in conference play. In the BIG EAST Tournament, Syracuse did not allow a goal, defeating Pittsburgh (2-0) in the semifinals before outlasting Connecticut (1-0) in the title game. It was the team's second conference title in four seasons.
The 1985 roster was filled with some of the greatest players in school history. Ken Vieira (31 points), Mark DiMonte (18 points) and Greg Kolodziey (12 points) were the team's top three scorers. DiMonte and Kolodziey are two of the six players in Orange history to score at least 30 goals and Vieira finished his career with 28 goals, 14 of which came during the 1985 campaign. Defensively, Rick Fatscher manned the goal area. He made 119 saves and set the school record for saves per game (8.5). He still ranks second in the Syracuse record book with 367 career saves.
A FAMILY AFFAIR
Saturday will also be a memorable night for the Brode family as Orange sophomore midfielder Mark Brode takes the field against his brother, Pitt junior midfielder Ryan Brode. Both players have started every match this season for their respective teams. Ryan has one goal for the Panthers this season. He tallied the only goal of the match in a 1-0 victory for the Panthers over Army on Sept. 10.
Mark entered 2010 as SU's top returning scorer with two goals and two assists in 2009.
The Brodes hail from Setauket, N.Y. where they attended different high schools. Mark competed for Ward Melville, while Ryan played for St. John the Baptist.
ROYDHOUSE AN OFFENSIVE FORCE
Junior Nick Roydhouse has been the engine that drives the Orange on offense. He tallied his team-leading third goal of the season in the second half to help Syracuse earn the tie at Cornell Wednesday. Roydhouse has three of the team's four goals this season. At Cornell, he paced the Orange with eight shots and nearly tallied the go-ahead goal late in regulation if not for terrific saves by the Big Red's Rick Pflasterer.
SCOUTING PITTSBURGH
Pittsburgh won its first four games before being shutout 2-0 by James Madison on Sept. 17 and Cal State Fullerton on Sept. 19. The Panthers haven't scored a goal in more than 200 minutes.
Alex Betancour and Sam Luffy lead the Panther offense with two goals each. The duo's four goals all came in a 5-0 shutout of St. Joseph's on Sept. 12. Terry Akpua, a transfer from Prince George Community College, leads the team with two assists. Junior goalkeeper Hami Kara, a transfer from Manchester Community College, has started all six games this season. He has 19 saves on the year and owns a 0.81 goals-against average with three shutouts.
Joe Luxbacher has been head coach of the Panthers since 1984. He's led Pittsburgh to eight BIG EAST Conference Tournament appearances and was named the conference's coach of the year in 2002 and 2005. A 1974 Pittsburgh alum, Luxbacher has coached 500 career games and owns an overall record of 223-221-56. In addition to his stint with the Panthers, Luxbacher was the head coach at Mount Union College from 1978-81.
THE SERIES WITH PITTSBURGH
The all-time series between the Orange and Panthers is tied, 7-7-2. Syracuse has won the last two games, including a 2-nil decision in the most recent pairing which took place in 2007. The SU-Pitt series dates back to the 1985 BIG EAST Tournament when the Orange defeated the Panthers, 2-0, in the semifinals on its way to the conference tournament championship. Ironically, that 1985 squad is being honored prior to Saturday's game. Luxbacher should remember the 1985 Orange well. He was in his second year as head coach of the Panthers at the time.
