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Following a national championship two seasons ago, Syracuse soccer is at a crossroads heading into the 2024 season. The Orange returned to the NCAA Tournament in 2023, but fell to New Hampshire in the second round. They were also an Atlantic Coast Conference semifinalist and only suffered one conference loss in the regular season.

To begin 2024, SU is ranked 25th in the United Soccer Coaches Preseason Poll. Though in the ACC’s Preseason Coaches Poll, the Orange are projected to finish 10th among 15 teams.

Syracuse finished off a three-game sweep of its preseason exhibitions Saturday, defeating Rutgers 1-0 in Piscataway. In the prior two games, the Orange handled Marist 5-2 and eked out a 2-1 overtime victory over St. Bonaventure.

But with major losses in the offseason, there are signs that point to either a setback or a quality season for the Orange. Here are three key factors that will determine Syracuse’s success in Ian McIntyre’s 15th season at the helm:

New faces

The Orange lost 11 of their top 12 scorers this offseason, only returning Nicholas Kaloukian, their top scorer from 2023 and a 2024 Preseason All-ACC Team selection. Though, returning just two players who notched goals last season, SU’s incomers showcased potential talent throughout the preseason.

Freshman Sachiel Ming and Division II junior transfer Michael Acquah shined in the first two games, with Acquah scoring three goals and Ming recording one goal and three assists. Lincoln Memorial University transfer Daniel Burko also recorded a tally against Marist. The senior offers huge offensive upside, as he scored 20 goals in 19 games last year and was the South Atlantic Conference Offensive Player of the Year.

Ernest Bawa, a graduate midfielder transfer from North Carolina, is another notable newcomer this offseason for McIntyre’s squad. With the Tar Heels, Bawa accumulated 1,589 minutes, while adding 10 goals and three assists. Elton Chifamba, another seasoned ACC veteran, joined the club this offseason after transferring from the defending national champions at Clemson. Over three years with the Tigers, the midfielder racked up 2,829 minutes. With key pieces leaving SU in the offseason, Bawa and Chifamba’s extensive ACC experience make them perfect additions for the Orange.

McIntyre also dipped into the JUCO landscape, recruiting Carlos Zambrano from Daytona State. Zambrano recorded 13 goals and 16 assists over two seasons, becoming a NJCAA Second Team All-American. Southern Illinois Edwardsville transfer Sam Layton is also a name to watch, as he was named a Midfielder to Watch by United Soccer Coaches.

Cole Ross | Digital Design Director

Back loaded schedule

The ACC is arguably the toughest soccer conference in the country, boasting 10 teams in the top 25, including No. 1 Clemson and No. 2 Notre Dame. Yet, the Orange benefit from a relatively favorable layout. They avoid No. 5 Stanford, No. 6 North Carolina, No. 10 SMU and No. 20 Duke. Additionally, only four of SU’s nine nonconference opponents posted winning records in 2023.

The Orange begin the season Thursday against Colgate on the road before hosting Niagara three days later. However, in the third game of the season, Syracuse faces its first test hosting Charlotte, the 2023 American Athletic Conference champion. The 49ers defeated then-No. 2 SMU in the AAC championship before falling to Clemson in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

Following Charlotte are games against ACC cellar dwellers Boston College and Virginia Tech and a nonconference bout against Canisius. With a promising schedule to start the season, the 49ers are the only real challenge that stands in the way of an undefeated first seven games for SU.

The schedule then takes an upturn, with a road bout against No. 24 Louisville, followed by two home matches against Cornell and No. 15 Wake Forest. Cornell is the only team on SU’s 2024 schedule that defeated the Orange a year ago. After a road match at Albany, three of Syracuse’s last six games are against top 25 opponents: No. 2 Notre Dame, No. 13 Virginia and No. 1 Clemson.

While the end of the SU’s season is grueling, a favorable start provides valuable time for Syracuse’s new roster to develop and grow at the Division I level.

Closing out matches

Syracuse struggled in ACC play last season, only winning twice despite holding a lead in five of its eight conference games.

In nonconference competition, in the 88th minute against then-No. 20 Penn State on Sept. 1, the Nittany Lions broke the deadlock to take a 1-0 lead. Six seconds later, the Orange answered right back. Syracuse escaped the grasp of Penn State, narrowly escaping with a tie. A week later, the Orange found themselves on the wrong side of the stick against then-No. 7 Louisville in ACC play.

SU held a lead from the 33rd minute all the way until the 89th. In the 87th minute, the Orange had a prime chance to put the Cardinals away for good, as Kaloukian raced to the left back post. But his header missed the target, opening the door for Louisville to tie the game off with a corner kick. Loose defense in the final minute allowed the Cardinals to make one final push, coming back to bite the Orange.

The aggressive lack of intensity down the stretch led to SU’s downfall on multiple occasions, even against weaker teams. Against Temple — who had just one win entering the contest — on Oct. 10, the Orange trailed for 51 minutes until Gabriel Mikina evened the score in the 88th minute. But just a minute later, Temple’s Rocco Haeufglockner ripped a one-timer past goaltender Jahiem Wickham to seal SU’s fate.

Facing then-No. 20 Wake Forest, the Orange held a 1-0 lead heading into the final 15 minutes, but the Demon Deacons equalized in the 75th minute as SU relinquished another late lead.

With an inexperienced group of players having to step up for the Orange this season, it is crucial that they develop and prepare for crunch time, especially against top teams.

Published on August 21, 2024 at 9:44 pm

Contact Nick: nsjepson@syr.edu