What Is Going Wrong With Syracuse Men’s Soccer
By Jared Johnston
CitrusTV’s Men’s Soccer Beat Reporter
Before the season started, SU brought in the 12th ranked recruiting class in the country according to College Soccer News. So, what’s gone wrong with Syracuse men’s soccer? It’s a question that many should ask at first glance.
With a quick side by side comparison of last season versus this season, the drop-off of quality results has been severe. In 2019, the Orange went 8-7-5 cumulatively and 2-4-2 in the ACC. That group would continue as far as the second round of the NCAA tournament. This season through ten games played, the Cuse stand at a 1-6-3 record and have yet to record a win in conference.
A huge part of generating offensive production is related to time spent with possession of the ball. While Head Coach Ian McIntyre is always keen on playing a counter attacking style, which inherently involves sitting back having less of the ball, the Orange haven’t been able to execute that plan as intended.
Last season, SU had a lethal offensive corps to get results. Ryan Raposo was a catalyst in the attacking third scoring 15 goals and seven assists. Along with that, Raposo, Massimo Ferrin, and Severin Soerlie all had double figures in goal contributions. Freshman forward Luther Archimede scored four goals in five starts providing a fresh look off the bench for McIntyre. As a result, the Cuse had a collective average of 2.05 goals per game.
Through five games played in its 2020 fall campaign, the Orange failed to post a victory, only stealing two points from draws. Even the efforts of Luther Archimede would only produce two goals in four games, before his selection to the New York Red Bulls in the MLS SuperDraft.
11 freshmen were brought into the program to fill the void of mass departures, especially on the offensive front. Yet SU has fallen from its two-goal pace last season, to averaging 1.1 goals per game. It’s tough for the best teams in the conference to keep clean sheets, therefore it’s simple to see how McIntyre’s program has receded into a rebuilding phase if they can barely manage a one goal margin for a chance at a victory.
Two midfielders and a defender lead the Cuse in goal contributions. Noah Singelmann and Hilli Goldhar have been the main figures of the midfield, while Simon Triantafillou has two goals from penalties and two assists as a right back. While starting striker Deandre Kerr is just a freshman, it’s a tough look to have your main attacking threat sit idly with two goals through nine games played.
The chance creation has not been near good enough because of the inexperience of the squad. While the Orange get near half of their shots on goal, and have equaled its opponents in shot creation, the efforts have not been efficiently taken from central areas.
Through all the negatives are plenty of positives to build on though. Sophomore Noah Singelmann came to Syracuse as a defender, and now leads the team in offensive production as a box-to-box midfielder with three goals and three assists in ten starts. The Orange now have five games slated on its schedule. Ian McIntyre and company will look to consistency from
Singelmann and a resurgence of form from Deandre Kerr among other freshman to build on positive results for the future growth of the program.
Syracuse hosts North Carolina at SU Soccer Stadium on Saturday at 2 PM. Follow my Twitter handle listed below for live coverage of the contest and more content on SU men’s soccer.
jjohns05@syr.edu | @jaredjohnstontv
