Syracuse men’s soccer used a pair of goals late in the first half and another strong defensive performance to earn a 2-0 victory over Loyola Maryland on Friday night at SU Soccer Stadium.
The Orange controlled the match from the opening whistle, consistently creating opportunities while limiting the Greyhounds on the other end. Syracuse finished with a 22-5 advantage in shots, including a 9-1 edge in shots on goal. The Orange also held an 11-2 advantage in corner kicks.
After nearly 40 minutes without a goal, Syracuse broke through late in the opening half. Bryson Rodriguez found the back of the net to give the Orange the lead and record his second career goal for Syracuse.
Just two minutes later, Pedro Gulli doubled the advantage with his first goal for the Orange. Badr Laghjibi played a part in both scoring chances, recording assists on each goal as Syracuse took a 2-0 lead into halftime.
The Orange continued to dictate play after the break and kept Loyola Maryland from mounting a serious comeback. Syracuse’s defense allowed just five total shots and only one attempt on goal throughout the match.
Kyle Jansen provided the final piece of the defensive effort, playing all 90 minutes in goal and making one save to preserve the shutout. The clean sheet marked another strong showing for an Orange defense that kept the Greyhounds off the scoreboard from start to finish.
Syracuse will remain at home for its next match when Iona visits SU Soccer Stadium on Monday, August 31. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.
Kyle leads sports coverage and hosts the Concrete Jungle podcast. Have a lead or question? Send it to kyle@fingerlakes1.com.