Syracuse draws against SMU in ACC home opener
Syracuse Women’s Soccer draws with SMU in ACC opener
Syracuse freshman Julia Arbalaez notches one in the back of the net to match SMU for the draw.
Syracuse women’s soccer showed signs of progress in its ACC opener, playing Southern Methodist to a 1-1 draw Thursday at SU Soccer Stadium.
SMU opened the scoring in the 37th minute. After a shot from forward Nyah Rose was cleared off the line by defender Natalie Magnotta, the rebound fell to Lydia Ungashick, who buried it past goalkeeper Shea Vanderbosch. It was the first goal Syracuse’s senior keeper had allowed in more than 320 minutes, ending her three-match shutout streak.
The Orange responded just before halftime. With a minute left in the first half, freshman Julia Arbelaez delivered a swinging cross to the far post, where junior forward Vita Naihin redirected the ball into the right corner with her hip.
“She was the player of the game,” head coach Nicky Thrasher Adams said of Naihin. “She is box-to-box. She’s fit enough to do it. And [she] probably started that attack and then got on the end of it.”
The match was physical throughout, with 19 fouls and three yellow cards. Ungashick and Magnotta were booked early for late challenges, and defender Anna Croyle received a caution later in the second half.
At halftime, Syracuse made tactical changes, pushing its wing backs higher and dropping its defensive midfielders deeper. These changes tilted the field in the Orange’s favor.
Syracuse put five shots on SMU keeper Aubrey Brown in the latter half but could not find a breakthrough.
“Second-half adjustments were fire,” Thrasher Adams said. “We came out and pressed them. They couldn’t get out. I think it’s an unfortunate result. I think we played well enough to get the win.”
Graduate student Ashley Rauch led Syracuse with three shots, including two on frame.
The result marked progress compared with last year’s ACC opener, when SMU handed Syracuse a 4-1 loss in Dallas that started an 0-9-1 conference campaign. The Orange are still searching for their first ACC victory since 2022, but Rauch believes it’s coming.
“It’s been a few years since we’ve gotten that win, and we all feel that this year, we know it’s coming,” she said. “A lot of us came back to rebuild this program and create a place people want to come to. Winning in the ACC would mean everything.”
Syracuse continues its homestand Sunday, when it hosts No. 7 Florida State at 1 p.m. at SU Soccer Stadium.
