Syracuse veterans lead new squad to opening day victory over UMass

The Syracuse Men’s Soccer have a slightly new look to them, but on Friday, the veterans showed up when called for to secure a season-opener win.

Goals from Chris Nanco, Liam Callahan, and Kenny Lassiter gave SU a 3-0 over UMass at SU Soccer Stadium, a victory that gave Head Coach Ian McIntyre a lot to think about.

“We’re 17 days in, so we are not the finished article,” said McIntyre. “But we’ll take many positives out of tonight’s performance.”

One of the positives McIntyre can take away from Friday is the amount of shots the Orange took when compared to the Minutemen of UMass. Syracuse took 21 shots, with 11 on target. UMass, on the other hand, only managed 3 shots and 1 on target against the veteran defense of SU.

Six Orange players also made their debut for the team today, as Mo Adams, Johannes Pieles, Sergio Camargo, John Austin-Ricks, Hampus Bergdahl, and Jan Breitenmoser saw action for Coach McIntyre. With many key players no longer on the team, including MLS draft picks Julian Buscher and Ben Polk, Coach McIntyre is still looking for the best combination to bring SU back to the College Cup. Friday’s win against UMass certainly helped his squad decisions for future games.

“It’s a good forward step,” said McIntyre. “Our guys will benefit from getting 90 minutes under them today.”

Friday’s game also showcased the strength of SU’s upperclassmen and returners, as all three goals were scored by men who have played at SU Soccer Stadium before. And McIntyre stressed that the veterans of the squad would play an important role in the success of the Orange.

“Those guys will set the tone,” said McIntyre.

With a new-look squad and high expectations, Syracuse looks to continue to impress people on its way back to the College Cup. A good mixture of veterans and newcomers is necessary to make that dream a reality, and Friday’s victory showed that the Orange have started the 2016 campaign in the right direction.