Syracuse Falls to Akron 3-1 in the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament

By Luke McGrath

CitrusTV Men’s Soccer Reporter

HAMILTON, N.Y. – Syracuse (7-7-4, 1-4-3 Atlantic Coast) fell to Akron (12-6-2, 1-2-1 Mid-American) 3-1 in the second round of the NCAA tournament ending Syracuse’s season.

Akron will face the winner of Colgate versus No. 1 seed Wake Forest, which kicks off at 5:00 p.m. Sunday.

Syracuse was supposed to host Akron, but the game was moved to Colgate’s Beyer-Small ’76 Field because of conditions at the SU Soccer Stadium.

The Zips scored first when Abdi Mohamed scored his first goal of the season in the 37th minute. Akron’s leading point scorer David Egbo assisted the goal, earning his 28th point of the season.

The Orange were able to equalize before the break. Jonathan Hagman, who had a hat trick in SU’s 3-1 win on the road over the Zips on October 1, played a ball to Massimo Ferrin who beat Akron’s goaltender Ben Lundt for the equalizer and his fifth goal of season.

In the second half it was all Akron. In the 74th minute Marcel Zajac buried his seventh goal of the season in what would end up being the game winner. Mohamed got the assist on the goal capping off his three-point day. He had just three points all season before Sunday’s win.

The Zips added an insurance goal in the 81st minute as Morgan Hackworth headed in his fourth goal of the season off a ball from Sam Tojaga.

Akron outshot SU 18-16 and 9-6 in shots on goal. Ben Lundt made four saves for the Zips in the winning effort, the team was credited with the other save. On the other end of the pitch Hendrik Hilpert made six saves in his final game with the Orange.

With the loss, SU says goodbye to seven seniors and possibly more due to the MLS draft and transfers.

Lumcgrat@syr.edu | @L_McGrath14