<body><div><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=0UNSHV_0vwOcly500" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0UNSHV_0vwOcly500" width="1200" height="628" >SYRACUSE, NY — Syracuse Mens Soccer earned their first ACC victory of the season on Saturday night, beating a prolific Notre Dame side 2-1 at SU Soccer Stadium. Fueled by strong defensive performances, the Orange bucked the trend of blown leads and held on to their advantage for a tense final half-hour. Syracuse entered the game with a 4-4-3 record after a strong 3-1 road win at UAlbany, but their ACC record was an unflattering 0-2-2, with several strong performances unseated by late goal concessions in recent weeks, notably against Louisville and Wake Forest.Notre Dame came in 5-1-3 (2-1 in conference), led by ACC Top Scorer Matthew Roou, whose 11 goals top the ACC. The away team looked more comfortable for the first twenty minutes, playing the ball around the back and forcing Syracuse forwards Nicolas Kaloukian and Daniel Burko to chase the game.KK Baffour looked most likely to provide a spark for the away team, the midfielder showcasing superior close control to get around the Syracuse midfield. However, the Orange defense contained both him and Roou when it counted."Notre Dame were better the first 20 to 25 minutes, then we started to grow and got a little bit higher up the field," said Syracuse Coach Ian McIntyre following the final whistle. Syracuse's best opportunity of the half came in the 29th minute when Braedon Smith broke forward with the ball in midfield and played a pinpoint through ball up to Michael Acquah. Acquah's first touch gave him a chance to shoot, but the keeper got his fingertips to the ball and sent it wide.The Orange kept up their momentum in the second half, breaking the deadlock in the 54th minute, when Gabe Threadgold's cross rolled through the box to opposite fullback Ben Rosenblatt, who smashed it into the top left corner.However, it looked like the start of an all too familiar tale when just four minutes later, the Irish played a free kick into the Syracuse box, which after failing to clear, landed in front of top scorer Roou who equalized for Notre Dame."When we've conceded that goal in the last couple of games, teams have gone on and scored a second goal," McIntyre said. "But we responded. We came and we didn't let Notre Dame land a second punch."Instead, that punch came from Gabe Threadgold. Who, in a similar vein to the first goal, was well placed at the back post to finish when Michael Acquah's cross-cut through the Notre Dame defense. After taking the lead, the defense took over, the young Orange team holding off the Notre Dame attack for the final 30 minutes.Freshman Chimere Omeze and Dominic Bell both contributed to shutting out the Irish, delivering mature defensive performances to lock down the right side of the field."We have a lot of chemistry together," Omeze said."We're really good friends off the pitch. So I think us finally beginning to play together in a big game like this and winning as well just proves that it's meant to be," he said.At the final whistle, the Syracuse bench rushed onto the field to celebrate with their teammates, many of whom fell to the floor, exhausted. "I'm so happy for our guys," McIntyre said. "We just worked so hard. We're going to be in a tough spot tomorrow and we've got a quick turnaround, but we're going to worry about that tomorrow and let them enjoy this."The Orange return to action on Tuesday, when they head back on the road to face Providence College, who most recently ranked 24th in the US Soccer Coaches polls.SUPPORT CUSENATION.COMFOLLOW PUBLISHER MIKE MCALLISTER ON X (FKA TWITTER)FOLLOW CUSENATION ON X (FKA TWITTER)</div></body>

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Syracuse men's soccer tops Notre Dame for first conference win

SYRACUSE, NY — Syracuse Mens Soccer earned their first ACC victory of the season on Saturday night, beating a prolific Notre Dame side 2-1 at SU Soccer Stadium. Fueled by strong defensive performances, the Orange bucked the trend of blown leads and held on to their advantage for a tense final half-hour.

Syracuse men's soccer tops Notre Dame for first conference win

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