Cavaliers Now

UVA Men’s Soccer Drops ACC Opener Against Syracuse 3-1

Leo Afonso scored his second goal of the season but it was not enough as the Hoos lost their second straight game.

Matt Newton

Photo courtesy of Matt Riley/ Virginia Athletics Communications

After beginning the season 2-0 and allowing just one goal, the Virginia men’s soccer team has given up five goals in the last two games, losing both to drop the Cavaliers back to .500 on the season. Virginia (2-2, 0-1 ACC) welcomed Syracuse (3-2, 1-0 ACC) into Klockner Stadium on Friday night for the ACC opener and lost to the Orange 3-1.

Syracuse took just six minutes to draw first blood on a goal scored by Deandre Kerr. UVA turned the ball over deep on their end of the field as Kerr intercepted the ball and put it past Holden Brown to give the Orange the 1-0 lead.

Syracuse mostly controlled possession in the first half and scored another goal in the 19th minute. Colin Biros crossed the ball into the box on a corner kick and Max Kent headed it into the right corner of the goal to make it 2-0.

Just four minutes later, Virginia cut the lead in half on a goal by sophomore Leo Afonso. Freshman Paul Wiese sent a long curving cross from the right side into the middle of the box where a cutting Afonso touched it in for Virginia’s first (and only) goal of the game.

Paul Wiese leads Virginia with four assists, while Afonso is tied for the team-lead with two goals on the season.

That 2-1 score held through the rest of the first half and most of the second half, as both teams played very physically in the midfield. Syracuse committed 22 fouls while Virginia was whistled for 12 fouls.

On multiple chances, Virginia threatened to find an equalizer but Syracuse goalie Lucas Daunhauer stood tall with three saves on the game. The shot total was even for both teams with 10 shots apiece.

In the 75th minute, the Cavaliers made another mistake on the defensive end and Syracuse cashed in, as Colin Biros found Deandre Kerr who beat Holden Brown for his second goal of the game to seal the Syracuse victory.

Virginia drops to 2-2 on the season with the loss and the Hoos will look to get back on track at home against UNC Greensboro on Tuesday night.

Published
Matt Newton
MATT NEWTON

Matt launched Virginia Cavaliers On SI in August of 2021 and has since served as the site's publisher and managing editor, covering all 23 NCAA Division I sports teams at the University of Virginia. He is from Downingtown, Pennsylvania and graduated from UVA in May of 2021.

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