#7 Orange, #11 Cavaliers Play to 2-2 Draw in ACC Opener

Friday, September 8

Charlottesville, VA

7 pm

Syracuse University

3-0-2 (0-0-1ACC)

Virginia

3-0-1 (0-0-1ACC)

OT 3

OT 4

Syracuse

Virginia

Photo by: Michael J. Okoniewski

#7 Orange, #11 Cavaliers Play to 2-2 Draw in ACC Opener

9/8/2017 10:50:00 PM | Men's Soccer

Box Score

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – In a back-and-forth match that featured leads for both teams, the No. 7/14 Syracuse men's soccer team tied No. 11/6 Virginia, 2-2 in double overtime, in Charlottesville on Friday, Sept. 8. The match was the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) opener for both teams.

"It was a fun, emotional soccer game," said Syracuse head coach Ian McIntyre. "At the end of the day, you always hope you can sneak a win, but this Virginia squad is a terrific team with a lot of exciting pieces. We're playing them at a time that they are really rolling. When we went down 2-1, we showed a lot of grit to come back and tie the game."

HOW IT WAS DECIDED
Syracuse (3-0-2, 0-0-1) took an early lead in the 22nd minute. The Orange were awarded a penalty kick when freshman Tajon Buchanan was tripped up in the box. Junior Hugo Delhommelle took the PK and put his shot in the right corner for his first goal as a member of the Orange.

Virginia (3-0-1, 0-0-1) had a chance to tie the score in the 35th minute when it was awarded a penalty kick, but goalkeeper Hendrik Hilpert stopped Pablo Aguilar's shot to keep the Orange in front. Aguilar was able to even the score when he netted his second goal of the season in the 61st minute.

The Cavaliers took their first lead of the night in the 74th minute on Jean-Christophe Koffi's first goal of the year from outside the 18. Syracuse answered in the 83rd minute. A turnover just past midfield gave the Orange possession and junior Jonathan Hagman scored on an assist from sophomore Johannes Pieles.

After the goal, Virginia's Edward Opoku was sent off after receiving his second yellow card. But Syracuse couldn't take advantage of playing with an extra man as the game remained tied at the end of regulation.

The Orange were the more dangerous team in the first extra session, getting off four shots, but none on goal. Syracuse continued to apply offensive pressure in the opening minutes of the second overtime, but then lost a player after a red card was issued in the 105th minute. With each team playing with 10 players on the field, neither could score the go-ahead goal as the match ended in a 2-2 tie.

OF NOTE
The Orange are now 1-2-2 in ACC openers since joining the league in 2013 and earned a point in the league standings with the tie.

"We had a lot of guys make their ACC debuts against one of the elite programs," McIntyre said. "Every point on the road (in the ACC) is vital. At the end of the year, we'll look back at this point and see its importance."

UP NEXT…
Syracuse will play its next four games at home, beginning Tuesday, Sept. 12 against Oregon State at 7 p.m. Admission and parking at the SU Soccer Stadium are free of charge.