The Syracuse Orange men’s soccer team has had a difficult season so far.
While the Orange still hold a winning record at 7-6-1, they have only won a single conference game this season, and while there is still a possibility they could get into the NCAAs with an at-large bid, a deep ACC tournament run would certainly help their case.
The Orange’s 1-4-1 record in ACC play so far this season shows that this could be easier said than done. Ian McIntyre’s squad does have some solid results under their belt,
including a win against Notre Dame and a draw with No. 7 Pitt; however, they are going to need more than that to keep their season going.
Currently, Syracuse is tied with Boston College for second-to-last in the ACC standings, with only Duke below them. Where the Orange struggle most this season is in attack, as they are dead last in the ACC with only two goals in conference play, one coming in their draw to Pitt and the other in their win against Notre Dame. No other team in the conference has fewer than seven.
Their strong defense has kept them in most games; however, the Orange’s seven goals allowed rank fourth in the conference. If the goals can start coming, there is a possibility this team’s defense could keep them in enough games to get them wins.
For the ACC tournament, as it stands, Syracuse would be heading on the road to Durham to take on North Carolina. The Orange and the Tar Heels have not played so far this season. UNC has some impressive results on their resume, including a 7-1 thrashing of Notre Dame and a solid 1-0 win at Pitt, however they do lack a signature win against the ACC’s best, as the highest ranked team in the conference they have played, being Clemson, beat them 2-1 at home.
There is still plenty of movement possible before the season ends, as most of the conference, including the Orange, still have two conference games to play. For Syracuse, this consists of the last home match of the regular season against Virginia (3-3 in ACC play) on Saturday, and then a road trip to Blacksburg to take on Virginia Tech (3-2-1) next Friday.
These are two teams around the middle of the pack in the ACC, so they could be great opportunities for Syracuse to rack up some big wins before the end of the season. A post-season home game isn’t even completely off the table, although a lot would need to go right.
There are quite a few other teams Syracuse could end up playing. If the Orange fall to the bottom of the ACC with some wins from Duke and Boston College, the Orange would likely head on the road to Clemson or Wake Forest, two teams that have beaten them this season.
However, if the Orange can climb a little, they can get a road trip to Pittsburgh, whom they drew with earlier this year, they could go right back to Virginia Tech, or play a Louisville team that beat them 1-0 at home. All of these are winnable matches, and if the Orange attack can turn it on at the right time and the defense can hold strong, they could shock some people in the tournament.
The ACC is always a powerhouse soccer conference. According to RPI, the conference is projected to send ten teams to the tournament, more than any other conference by far. College Soccer Newshad the Orange projected in the field last week so these next two games and the following tournament will be huge in deciding if the Orange can make their third tournament in four years.
The Orange will next be in action on Saturday as they take on Virginia at SU Soccer Stadium at 1 PM. The game will be broadcast on ACCNX.
