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After finishing 0-3-2 in an abbreviated fall season, Syracuse is slated to play 11 games during the spring with a chance to qualify for the NCAA tournament in April.

The Orange will start off with four nonconference games at Afrim’s Sports Park in Albany, hosting Hofstra on Feb. 12, Albany on Feb. 19, UMass on Feb. 22 and Vermont on March 1. 

Atlantic Coast Conference play begins for Syracuse on March 7 with a trip to Clemson, followed by a visit to Louisville on March 12. The Orange’s first spring game at SU Soccer Stadium will be against UNC on March 20 before they head back on the road to face NC State on March 26. Syracuse closes out the season with three straight home games against St. Francis (PA), Boston College and the season finale against Wake Forest on April 9. 

Syracuse will once again be in the Atlantic Division of the ACC, playing each division member once as well as one Coastal Division opponent (North Carolina). The winners of the two conferences will play on the higher seed’s turf for a game on April 13 to determine who will face Clemson, the fall 2020 ACC Champion, on April 17. That game will determine the ACC’s automatic bid for the NCAA tournament. The April 13 game will not be played if Clemson wins the Atlantic Division.

Since the fall layoff, forward Luther Archimede was selected 13th overall by the New York Red Bulls in the 2021 MLS SuperDraft. Defender Sondre Norheim went in the third round when Nashville SC took him with the 73rd overall pick.

The Orange finished last in their division during the fall season, accumulating only two points over five games and failing to qualify for the ACC tournament. Three games, including two to start the season, were canceled due to COVID-19 protocols, resulting in Syracuse tied for the fewest overall games of any ACC team.

Syracuse did force 2OT three times during the fall, however. One of those included a game against No. 2 Pittsburgh, who finished 4-0 in conference play during the fall. Freshman DeAndre Kerr led the Orange with four points and two goals throughout the fall and is primed to be the next dominant goal scorer for Syracuse.

Published on February 5, 2021 at 6:31 pm

Contact Eric: estorms@syr.edu