'Cuse Welcomes Bucknell to SU Soccer Stadium

SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- The Orange (12-2-0) concludes its non-conference schedule at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 21 against Bucknell (6-8-0) at the SU Soccer Stadium. Syracuse is looking to rebound from a 2-1 loss in overtime at Louisville on Oct. 17 and finish the year unbeaten in non-league action for the second straight season. Bucknell has lost four of its last five, including a 1-0 Patriot League loss to Navy in its most recent outing.

LEADING FROM THE FRONT
Syracuse has trailed for only 15:56 out of a possible 1,282:54 this season. The only time SU has been behind was when Notre Dame scored to take a 1-0 advantage on Sept. 13 in the 75th minute, a lead it held until the end of the match.

SIZZLING START
At 12-2-0, the 2014 squad is tied for the most victories in the first 14 matches of a Syracuse soccer season. In 1982, the Orange went 12-1-1 in its first 14 contests.

DEFENSE CONTRIBUTING OFFENSE
Orange backs have combined to score eight goals this season. Tyler Hilliard (3), Skylar Thomas (2), Jordan Murrell (2) and Louis Cross (1) have all scored in 2014. The eight goals from the back line is one less than the total number of goals scored by SU defenders from 2011-13 (9).

HISTORICALLY GREAT
Syracuse is currently on pace to finish in the top 10 in NCAA history in goals-against average. The list of lowest goals-against averages is below:

Best NCAA Season Goals-Against Average

	Team	GA/Minutes	GAA	Year
1.	Creighton	5 / 2,208	0.20	2011
2.	Evansville	7 / 2,580	0.24	1990
3.	Indiana	6 / 2,130	0.25	1979
4.	Akron	7 / 2,300	0.27	2009
5.	SIUE	4 / 1,290	0.28	1973
6.	North Carolina	7 / 2,153	0.29	2012
7.	Virginia	8 2,393	0.30	2009
8.	Connecticut	7 /1,920	0.33	2010
9.	Syracuse	5 / 1,283	0.35	2014
	George Mason	7 / 1,800	0.35	1982
	Akron	8 / 2,040	0.35	2012

NON-CONFERENCE SUCCESS
Syracuse is 22-2-0 the past three years against non-conference opponents during the regular season, including a 8-0-0 record in 2014. SU has outscored its non-league foes by the count of 59-8 and recorded 19 shutouts in that stretch. Overall, the Orange has won 19 straight against non-conference opponents, including its 2012 NCAA Tournament victories at Cornell and VCU.

THE BUCKNELL SERIES
Syracuse is 3-2-1 all-time against the Bison. The two teams played five times between 1938 and 1942 and again in 2009. The 2009 pairing took place at Mayor's Cup XXXIV in Oneonta, N.Y. Bucknell's Conor O'Brien tallied a late goal to lift the Bison to a 1-0 victory.

SCOUTING THE BISON
Tuesday's match is the last non-conference game of the year for Bucknell as well. The Bison wrap up the regular season with four straight Patriot League contests. Jesse Klug and Jonathan Grad have combined for 11 of Bucknell's 18 goals this season. Klug leads the way with six. Grad has five. Both players have started every match.

Mike Lansing and Clarke Fox have split time in goal. Lansing has played 10 games with eight starts and Fox has appeared in seven matches with six first-string assignments. Both keepers have two shutouts to their credit. Fox has the better overall numbers, posting a .792 save percentage and 0.80 goals-against average to Lansing's .758 and 1.03 marks.

Head coach Brendan Nash has guided the Bison to three Patriot League titles. The two-time Patriot League Coach of the Year, Nash owns the highest winning percentage (.544) of any coach in school history.

UP NEXT ...
The Orange travels to Raleigh, N.C to take on North Carolina State in its final regular-sesason road ACC match Saturday, Oct. 25 at 7 p.m.