Syracuse men’s soccer torn apart by SMU in ACC Tournament semifinals
SU men’s soccer torn apart by SMU in ACC Tournament semifinals
The Orange’s hot run came to an end Thursday night in their biggest defeat of 2025.
Syracuse Men’s Soccer came into their ACC Tournament semifinal on a hot streak. The Orange entered the match 5-2-1 in their last eight games, featuring three wins against top 25-ranked teams. Last Sunday’s 3-0 shock upset over one of the better teams in the country, NC State, significantly boosted SU’s shot at the national tournament.
But that momentum came crashing down against SMU during a 5-1 loss for the Orange in Cary, North Carolina on Thursday night. The Mustangs made up for their 2-0 loss at the SU Soccer Stadium in early October with a commanding performance over the Orange.
“They’re a terrific team, and we had a bad night, and a lot of that was because of the way they played,” head coach Ian McIntyre said.
From the beginning, the Mustangs looked like the better team. For the early portions of the game, the Dallas-based side controlled possession as the Orange struggled to settle into the match. Then about twenty minutes in, SMU began generating significant attacking chances. Jaylinn Mitchell wreaked havoc with his shifty play on the left wing, creating problems for SU’s defense.
With 37 minutes gone in the first half, Mitchell’s hard work finally paid off. He chipped a ball forward towards the six-yard box for Mukisa Emmanuel, who blasted the ball into the roof of the net to open the scoring.
Then right before the halftime whistle, Mitchell generated another prime opportunity for the Mustangs. The junior winger squared a ball across the box from the left flank, finding a wide open Ryan Clanton-Pimentel on the back post, who buried his first collegiate goal.
“To get the second just before halftime is a big boost,” SMU head coach Kevin Hudson said. “It’s kind of deflating for the opponent.”
SMU picked up right where they left off to start the second half. Charles-Emile Brunet brought down a cross with his chest, and then proceeded to rifle a volley at goal. The shot took a deflection off of Garrett Holman and slipped past Tomas Hut to give the Mustangs a controlling 3-0 lead.
The SMU offense continued to explode against a fatigued SU backline for the remainder of the match. Stephen Soghomonian scored his team-leading twelfth goal of the season in the sixtieth minute before Landon Hickman made it 5-0 with less than ten minutes to play. It was the second five-goal performance from the Mustangs in three ACC Tournament games.
Hudson’s squad took advantage of SU’s man-to-man marking with an explicit strategy that helped them puncture the back of the net.
“There was a clear plan against Syracuse,” Hudson said. “The idea was a free man on the opposite side with their opposite side center half, and if we could find him with a ball, then we could run it into their half.”
The Orange were able to tack on a consolation goal at the end of the game, when Nathan Scott converted a penalty kick from the spot. But overall, it was a disappointing showing for SU’s attack, who were outshot for the ninth consecutive game.
Despite the lack of chances, McIntyre is happy with his team’s identity as it stands.
“I like our group because of the fact that we don’t outshoot guys,” McIntyre said. “We’ve found ways, we’ve had nine shutouts, until we conceded five tonight. We’ve really done a good job collectively, and that’s what makes this group special.”
Syracuse now awaits Monday afternoon’s NCAA Tournament Selection Show, where the fate of their season will be determined. The Orange have compiled a fairly attractive NCAA Tournament resume, featuring two quadrant 1 wins, seven wins in their last eleven games and a top 35 RPI ranking. McIntyre knows that he has a strong team on his hands that is worthy of playing more postseason soccer.
“We’ve played a really tough, top ten, fifteen schedule in the country. We’ve won some big games against some really good teams,” he said. “I hope we’ve done enough to have another opportunity, because we weren’t at our best tonight, but I know I’ve got a good group.”
is a contributor for The NewsHouse.