HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. – Syracuse junior Oyvind Alseth (Trondheim, Norway) converted a penalty kick in the 71st minute but Hofstra scored twice in a span of five-plus minutes to defeat the No. 15 Syracuse men’s soccer team, 2-1, in the season opener for both teams on Friday, Aug. 28.

“You’re always disappointed when you come out on the wrong end of the score,” Orange head coach Ian McIntyre said. “The coaching staff decided to start the year with a difficult task for our young team. Many guys responded extremely well. We had enough chances but we needed to be a little better in front of the goal. Give credit to Hofstra. Their goalkeeper played very well and they worked hard for the win.”

Syracuse (0-1) dominated play in the first half, maintaining possession and dictating the pace of play. The Orange recorded eight shots and earned four corner kicks in the first 45 minutes, while holding Hofstra (1-0) to just three shots, none of which were on frame.

Both teams applied pressure to start the second half. Joseph Holland got off a pair of shots in the first four minutes of action. One sailed wide and the other was stopped by Syracuse goalkeeper Austin Aviza (Medway, Mass.). Syracuse responded with two of its best scoring chances. Senior Korab Syla (Yonkers, N.Y.) crossed the ball into the box where sophomore Julian Buescher (Duelmen, Germany) headed the ball towards the goal, but Hofstra goalkeeper Patric Pray was there for the save. Less than two minutes later, the Orange earned a corner kick and redshirt junior Liam Callahan (Amherst, N.Y.) got off a shot, but Pray again made the save, one of his 10 on the night.

The Pride recorded the game’s first goal in the 61st minute. Hofstra was awarded a penalty kick, which Holland converted to give the Pride a 1-0 advantage. Callahan was issued a red card after the foul, forcing the Orange to play a man down the remainder of the match.

Hofstra added to its lead less than six minutes later when reserve Henry Crayton found the back of the net just over a minute after entering the match when he put his shot in the lower left corner of the net from 10 yards. The Orange cut the lead in half in the 71st minute when it was awarded a penalty kick. Alseth put his shot past Pray to bring the Orange within one.

Syracuse created several scoring chances in the final five minutes, including two shots with less than a minute remaining. But senior Juuso Pasanen’s (Kuopio, Finland) shot hit the post and Pray stopped senior Chris Nanco’s (Brampton, Ontario) shot with 48 seconds on the clock to secure the victory for the Pride.

The Orange outshot Hofstra, 19-9, and earned five corner kicks to two for the Pride. Aviza finished with two saves. The loss snaps Syracuse’s three-game winning streak in season openers as well as its 17-game regular-season winning streak against non-conference opponents, which dates back to the 2012 season.

“I’m very proud of our team,” McIntyre said. “If we can show the work ethic, drive and character to the final whistle (as we did tonight), there are good days ahead.”

 

Syracuse is back in action on Sunday, Aug. 30 when it takes on Bucknell in Lewisburg, Pa.

 

AGATE

                              1st          2nd        Final

Syracuse              0              1              1
Hofstra                 0              2              2

Scoring:
60:29     Hofstra                 Joseph Holland (Penalty Kick)
65:46     Hofstra                 Harry Crayton
70:30     SU                          Oyvind Alseth (Penalty Kick)

Shots: Syracuse 19, Hofstra 9

Corner Kicks: Syracuse 5, Hofstra 2

Saves: Syracuse 2 (Austin Aviza), Hofstra 10 (Patric Pray)

Attendance: 1,073

 

-- SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY: NEW YORK’S COLLEGE TEAM --