No. 6 Syracuse men’s soccer downs Colgate 3-0 on Thursday
SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Senior Chris Nanco scored two goals to lead No. 6/8 Syracuse squad to a 3-0 victory against Colgate on Thursday, Sept. 1 at the SU Soccer Stadium. The Orange improve to 3-0, while the Raiders are now 2-1.
Nanco registered his second career multiple-goal match in the victory. He also had two goals against Manhattan during his freshman season. Nanco leads the team in goals (3) and is tied for the team lead in points with freshman Johannes Pieles with six points apiece. Pieles had an assist in the match and has had at least one point in every game this season.
The Orange took the lead in the 23rd minute when Nanco was taken down in the box by a Raiders’ defender, resulting in a penalty kick. Nanco took the penalty kick and put his shot past Raiders’ goalkeeper Ricky Brown. It was his second goal of the season and first goal allowed by Colgate in 2016. The Raiders’ Tim Oberg tried to even the score in the 41st minute, but his shot went off the post and the Orange took a 1-0 lead into the locker room at halftime.
Syracuse added to its lead in the 56th minute when Pieles slid the ball to redshirt junior Kenny Lassiter, who put his shot in the back of the net for his second goal of the year. The Raiders increased the pressure after falling behind by two. But Syracuse’s defense successfully defended against six corner kicks and allowed just two shots on goal in the final 35 minutes as the Orange recorded their second shutout of the season.
Nanco scored the final goal of the game in the 85th minute. Freshman John Austin Ricks crossed the ball into the box where a Colgate defender intercepted the pass. He couldn’t control the ball and Nanco knocked the rebound into the corner for the 3-0 final.
“This is a good Colgate team,” said Syracuse head coach Ian McIntyre. “We knew this going in. I was disappointed in us the first half. I thought it looked like we were still in classroom mode. It wasn’t a pretty soccer match in the first half. I thought we were much better in the second half. I thought we knocked it around and scored a couple of nice goals. If you start flat, it’s difficult to get yourself going. But I’ll give our guys credit for responding second half.”
Syracuse outshot Colgate, 9-6, while the Raiders recorded eight corner kicks to four for the Orange. Syracuse goalkeeper Hendrik Hilpert and Brown both finished with two saves.
The Orange conclude their four-match homestand to open the season on Sunday, Sept. 4 when they host St. John’s at 7 p.m. at the SU Soccer Stadium. Admission is free.
