Sixth-seeded Syracuse men’s soccer stunned No. 3 seed NC State with a 3-0 shutout in the ACC Quarterfinals, advancing to the semifinal round for the first time since 2023. The Orange improved to 9-6-3 overall, while the Wolfpack, ranked No. 5 nationally, fell to 12-2-4 after allowing just their fifth, sixth, and seventh goals of the season.
After a scoreless first half, Syracuse erupted in the second. In the 52nd minute, Chimere Omeze found Sachiel Ming in traffic, and the sophomore blasted a left-footed strike past Wolfpack keeper Logan Erb to break the deadlock. The Orange doubled their lead in the 69th minute when Carlos Zambrano delivered a bending corner kick that curved directly into the net, his second Olimpico goal of the season.
Goalkeeper Tomas Hut anchored the defense with a career-best nine saves, including a trio of critical stops in the 73rd minute to preserve the clean sheet. The Orange sealed the victory in the 86th minute when Omeze capitalized on a breakaway, slotting the ball into an open net for the final 3-0 margin.
NC State outshot Syracuse 20-12, but Hut’s heroics and the Orange back line held firm to secure their ninth shutout of the year.
Syracuse advances to face the winner of the Stanford–SMU quarterfinal on Thursday, November 13, at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, North Carolina.
Kyle leads sports coverage and hosts the Concrete Jungle podcast. Have a lead or question? Send it to [email protected].