ALBANY, N.Y. - After two shutout victories at home, the University at Albany men's soccer program hits the road for a showdown with #1-ranked and defending national champion Syracuse on Monday night.
 
Game Info
September 4, 2023 at #1 Syracuse (7:00 pm)
Live Stats | ACCNX | Game Notes
 
Leading the Pack

• UAlbany is 0-1-0 on the road this season; Syracuse is 2-0-0 at home
• UAlbany has recorded shutouts in seven of its last nine games
• Syracuse has not lost in its last 17 matches (13-0-4), since falling 2-1 on October 4, 2022 to #22 Cornell
• UAlbany is 1-0-1 in the last two games against Syracuse

Scouting Syracuse
Syracuse won its first national title in program history in 2022, outlasting Indiana 7-6 in penalty kicks after finishing regulation and overtime tied 2-2.  Last year's Orange team went 19-2-4 overall, and defeated three of UAlbany's 2023 opponents, Penn, Cornell, and Vermont, en route to their title.  This season, the Orange are 2-0-1 through its first three games, defeating Providence and Binghamton by shutout and drawing on the road at #20 Penn State, conceding their first goal of the season against the Nittany Lions.  Following their success last season, the Orange were ranked #1 in the United Soccer Coaches Preseason poll, but were picked to finish third in the ACC's Atlantic Division.  Syracuse saw 15 players from last year's championship squad depart during the offseason, including leading scorers Nathan Opoku, who signed with Leicester City of the English Premier League, and Levante Johnson, who signed with the Vancouver Whitecaps of the MLS.  UAlbany is 2-6-2 in the program's Division I era against Syracuse.
 
Last Time vs. Syracuse
February 19, 2021 | UAlbany opened its COVID-rescheduled 2021 spring season hosting Syracuse offsite and indoors at Afrim's Sports Park in Latham.  It was the first meeting between the two teams since the 2016 season when UAlbany upset the #3 Orange in Albany 2-1.  Syracuse struck first in the 12th minute to take a 1-0 lead, but UAlbany's defense locked down in the second half and did not allow an Orange shot.  Adam Aoumaich, off a setup from Alex Bourgeois, tied the game in the 85th minute and forced overtime.  Syracuse outshot UAlbany 4-1 during the two overtime periods but the game ended in a 1-1 draw.
 
Last Time Out
After defeating Villanova 2-0 in its 2023 home opener, UAlbany hosted a second-straight home game, this time against Niagara, playing the Purple Eagles for the first time since the 2000 season.  The Great Danes got off to a quick start, drawing and converting a penalty kick in just the second minute of the game to take an early lead.  Later in the first half, UAlbany struck again to go up 2-0.  After halftime, UAlbany did not allow a single Niagara shot, and ended up outshooting the Purple Eagles 14-2 for the full game.  The Great Danes clinched their second-straight 2-0 victory.
 
Around the America East
Bryant continues to hold a narrow lead in the conference standings, unbeaten and untied through its first three games.  #22 New Hampshire and UMBC are just behind the Bulldogs, unbeaten at 2-0-1.  UMass Lowell is the remaining unbeaten team in the America East, 1-0-1 through two with their third game coming on Sunday.  UAlbany and #22 Vermont are 2-1-0, ahead of 1-2-0 NJIT and 0-3-0 Binghamton.  Before Sunday's two games, seven of the eight America East teams held winning streaks.
 
Monday's America East Games

• Colgate at #22 Vermont, 2:00 pm
• Cornell at #19 New Hampshire, 4:00 pm
• UAlbany at #1 Syracuse, 7:00 pm

 
Upcoming Milestones

• Trevor Gorman: 97 career wins
• Program: 497 wins

 
Shutting Out
After earning shutouts in back-to-back games early in the 2023 season, the UAlbany men's soccer team has recorded seven shutouts in its last nine games dating back to the 2022 season.  Since playing Colgate to a 1-1 tie on October 18, 2022, UAlbany has allowed just four goals in nine games, including two shutouts in 10 days against then #8-ranked Vermont.  UAlbany's shutout streak reached a peak of 505 consecutive minutes between allowing goals to Colgate and in the 2022 America East title game against #22 New Hampshire.
 
Without Borders
Including the United States and Canada, the 2023 men's soccer roster features 29 players representing 13 different countries.  In total, 21 players have joined the team from outside the United States.
 
New Faces
The Great Danes' roster of 29 players features 13 new faces.  Three of the 13 are freshmen, while the remaining 10 have transferred into UAlbany from their previous institutions.  The transfers hail from such programs as Akron, South Florida, and defending national champion Syracuse, among others.
 
Picked Third
After a run to the America East title game in 2022, the Great Danes were picked to finish in a tie for third in the 2023 America East Preseason Coaches' Poll.  They shared their point total of 34 with UMBC, and narrowly edging the Retrievers by garnering one first-place vote.
 
Schedule Strength
Including defending national champion and preseason #1 Syracuse, five of the Great Danes 17 opponents in 2023 hold preseason rankings in the United Soccer Coaches national poll.  Behind the Orange, the Great Danes will play games against #12 Vermont, #20 Cornell, #23 New Hampshire, and #25 Penn.
 
Phoenix Rising
Former UAlbany defender Daniel Krutzen '18 signed a deal in January with Phoenix Rising FC of the USL Championship, the second-tier league in the United States.  Krutzen made the move after playing four years in the Canadian Premier League for Forge FC, winning three league titles.
 
Hall of Fame Semifinalist
The most prolific scorer in UAlbany men's soccer history, Lee Tschantret, was named a semifinalist to the National Soccer Hall of Fame's 2023 Veteran Ballot.  Tschantret played at UAlbany from 1987-90, scoring a program-record that still stands today 51 goals.  He earned All-America honors in 1988 and 1989, and after his collegiate season enjoyed a 20-year professional career.
 
U.S. Open Cup
Former UAlbany goalkeeper Danny Vitiello and his Sacramento Republic FC team advanced to the championship game of the 2022 U.S. Open Cup against Orlando City SC of the MLS.  Sacramento was the first team from outside the MLS to reach the title game since Charleston Battery played against D.C. United in 2008.  Vitiello and Sacramento defeated three MLS teams en route to the final, the San Jose Earthquakes, the L.A. Galaxy, and Sporting Kansas City.  In the latter game, the semifinal, Vitiello recorded the decisive save in the penalty kick shootout to advance Sacramento to the final.  Sacramento's magic run ended against Orlando City, falling 3-0.
 
Next: UAlbany hosts Marist on September 8.