2007 Season Review
Syracuse became the only team in the BIG EAST to post undefeated non-conference marks in 2006 and 2007 by going 3-0-4 in non-conference matches in ‘07. The Orange finished the year 6-8-4 and 3-8-0 in the BIG EAST. The year included several high points, including tying eventual NCAA finalist Ohio State, 0-0, at the Wolstein Classic and hosting the school’s first nationally-televised soccer match on Oct. 31 against St. John’s. Hansen Woodruff paced the squad with 24 points and 10 goals, the highest point total by an SU player since 2001.
WOODRUFF EARNS ALL-REGION HONORS
Sophomore forward Hansen Woodruff was rewarded for his outstanding season by being picked to the NSCAA All-Northeast Region Second Team. Woodruff is the ninth Orange player this decade to be selected to an all-region team, joining Richard Asante, Chris Aloisi, John Andrade, Kevin Bacher, Guido Cristofori, Kirk Johnson, Jarrett Park and Ezra Prendergast. Syracuse has had at least one all-region honoree in 12 of the last 13 seasons.
Woodruff started every match in 2007 and had the best offensive season of any SU player since 2001. He led the Orange in scoring with 24 points, including a team-best 10 goals, which tied for the second-most in the BIG EAST. He was the first Orange player since Kirk Johnson in 2001 to score double-digit goals and three of his tallies were game-winners.
ORANGE TRIO NAMED TO ALL-CONFERENCE TEAMS
NSCAA All-Region honors weren’t the only accolades bestowed upon Woodruff following his sophomore season, he was also one of three Syracuse players to earn All-BIG EAST recognition. Woodruff was picked to the second team, while senior defender Brad Peetoom and sophomore midfielder Luis Martinez earned third-team choices. The Orange’s three All-BIG EAST selections were its most since the 2002 season.
Martinez started 16 of the Orange’s 18 games in the midfield and notched two assists. He was one of Syracuse’s most consistent players all season, averaging more than 82 minutes played per contest. Martinez tallied his first assist of year on Woodruff’s second goal versus Pittsburgh and also had a helper on SU’s lone goal at Rutgers on Oct. 7. He has five assists in his career.
Peetoom finished his career as one of the most accomplished defensive players in school history. A two-time captain, Peetoom contributed to 19 career shutouts, including six this season.
CAVICCHIA MAKES 50TH START
Junior keeper Robert Cavicchia made his 50th start in the Orange’s season finale at DePaul. He made four saves against the Blue Demons to finish the year with 74. Cavicchia ranked fourth in the conference in saves against league opponents (45) and he stopped at least five shots in a game nine times in 2007. Cavicchia ranks sixth all-time at SU in saves with 221 and he continues to climb the SU career charts in several other categories (see below). Cavicchia appeared in 17 of SU’s 18 matches in 2007, missing the season-opener against Penn State because he was recovering from a hip injury. He combined for 10 saves against Pittsburgh and West Virginia to move past Alim Karim for sixth on the Orange’s career list and he is currently eight stops behind legendary Orange goalie Joe Papaleo for fifth. He owns a career 1.14 goals-against average, which ranks fourth in school history.
PEETOOM A LOWE’S CLASS AWARD FINALIST
Orange senior defender Brad Peetoom was selected to the Lowe’s Senior All-America Second Team on Friday, Dec. 14. Peetoom was one of 10 finalists for the inaugural Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award for men’s soccer and the All-America teams were selected based on the voting results of the finalists. Navy goalkeeper Evan Barnes won the award, which was presented at halftime of the national semifinal between Virginia Tech and Wake Forest.
CLASS is an acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School and the program was launched during the 2001-02 season in response to the trend of college basketball players leaving early to turn professional. The award was conceived by sportscaster Dick Enberg and was inspired by the story of former Duke star Shane Battier, who could have been an NBA lottery pick, but elected to return to college where he led the Blue Devils to the national championship and earned his degree.
NON-CONFERENCE DOMINANCE
With its 1-1 draw at Hartwick on Oct. 17, the Orange posted an undefeated record in non-conference games for the second consecutive season. SU went 3-0-4 in non-league matches and is 8-0-4 in non-conference games the last two years. The Orange owns a 13-game, non-conference unbeaten streak. It’s last non-BIG EAST loss was to Oneonta in 2005. SU’s undefeated non-conference record in 2006 represented the first time since BIG EAST regular-season competition began in 1985 that SU maneuvered through is non-league slate without a loss. Syracuse is the only BIG EAST team not to lose a non-conference game during the last two seasons.
In the last eight seasons, the Orange has finished at .500 or better in non-conference matches seven times. The only year it didn’t was in 2004 when SU was 2-5 in non-league encounters. Since the beginning of the 2005 campaign, the Orange is 12-1-7 in 20 non-BIG EAST clashes.
HANDING OUT TEAM AWARDS
Senior Brad Peetoom was named both the co-Defensive MVP and the winner of the Frank Schantz Award. He shared the team's defensive honor with junior Karol Wasielewski. Sophomore Hansen Woodruff was named the Orange’s Offensive MVP. The Schantz Award is given to those individuals who have demonstrated their commitment to the SU program through their on-field performance, character and citizenship.
