Since its 1-0 victory against Northeastern on Sept. 2, Syracuse has played seven games. That stretch started with a 4-0 loss to then-winless Harvard and spiraled. As the month of September continued, the Orange kept losing, riding a six-game losing streak into its matchup in Coral Gables, Florida on Sunday.

But against a team whose last victory was Aug. 26, Syracuse (3-9, 0-4 Atlantic Coast) kept its scoring woes alive against another conference bottomfeeder in Miami (4-6-2, 1-3-0). With a 1-0 shutout loss to the Hurricanes, SU has not scored in its last 400 minutes of play.  

The Orange opened the game on the front foot and tallied two early shots. Georgia Allen found herself alone 12 yards from the net six minutes into the game but botched the shot high. After the early Orange success, though, the Hurricanes took over.

Miami stayed offensive as SU failed to get the ball to its attackers. Goalkeeper Lysianne Proulx tried to keep a handle on UM’s offense, and she succeeded until SU’s backline folded in the 33rd minute.

From midfield, Miami’s Jamie Brunworth slung a pass to an open Bayleigh Chaviers who gathered in the right corner. Pushing forward, Chaviers pinpointed UM’s Gudrun Haralz, who was cutting into the box. Haralz was met by SU’s Shannon Aviza, and as Proulx shuffled right, Haralz sliced the ball left past the diving goalkeeper to make it 1-0.

Following the goal, Miami almost extended its lead to two when Haralz dropped a pass in the middle of the box for Tia Dupont. Dupont had a step on SU’s Jenna Tivnan for the ball, but Tivnan laid out to force it out of bounds. SU didn’t muster a shot in the last 37 minutes of the half while the Hurricanes shot seven times in that span.

Jordan Harris replaced Proulx to start the second half, but that didn’t stop Miami from piling up shots. Syracuse’s offense stayed stagnant, with only four shots in the second half to Miami’s 11. The Hurricanes dominated possession and ate up clock while keeping its scoring aggressiveness in their 4-3-3.

SU’s last opportunities to score started on two 30-yard free kicks from Taylor Bennett in the 82nd and 85th minute that both went wide. After, three Orange corners kicks within the final five minutes hit the wrong heads and failed to create a shot.

It’s the Orange’s ninth loss, SU’s most since 2015, with six games remaining. Syracuse returns to SU Soccer Stadium after its three-game road trip Thursday when it takes on NC State at 7 p.m.

Published on September 29, 2018 at 9:08 pm

Contact KJ: kjedelma@syr.edu | @KJEdelman