SYRACUSE, N.Y. (SYRACUSE ATHLETICS) — Sophomore Nicholas Kaloukian scored twice as Syracuse beat Boston University, 3-1, Thursday evening in the NCAA Men’s Soccer Tournament First Round at the SU Soccer Stadium.
The defending national champion Orange extended their unbeaten streak to six matches in the national tournament and will now play at New Hampshire in the NCAA Second Round on Sunday, Nov. 19 at 2 p.m.
The Orange (9-4-7) recorded their three goals over a 10:26 span in the first half after the Terriers (12-4-4) scored in the third minute of the match.
Syracuse outshot BU, 21-11, including a 10-2 advantage in shots on target. ’Cuse had eight corners to the Terriers’ one.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Boston University struck first as Eitan Rosen netted his team-leading 10th goal of the year at 2:43, giving the visitors an early lead.
The Orange leveled the match 20 minutes later, beginning a sequence of three unanswered tallies for the home squad. Kaloukian’s first goal of the match came when junior Mateo Leveque sent the free kick into the box where Kaloukian headed the ball off the crossbar into the net.
Less than 10 minutes later, Syracuse was awarded a corner kick. Leveque put a perfectly placed ball into the box where a waiting Josh Belluz headed the ball off a BU defender into the back of the net for the lead.
The Orange added an insurance marker 37 seconds later when senior Nate Edwards looped the ball to Kaloukian, who flicked the header for the brace. ’Cuse finished the first half outshooting the Terriers, 12-3.
Syracuse’s backline kept the Boston University offensive attack at bay, holding the visitors to just one shot on target over the final 87 minutes of action.
OF NOTE:
- Syracuse improves to 14-5-2 overall and 11-0-0 at the SU Soccer Stadium in the NCAA Tournament.
- The Orange are 3-1-0 in NCAA First Round contests.
- Kaloukian is the fourth player in program history to record a brace in the national tournament, joining Louis Clark (Nov. 18, 2012 at VCU), Sergio Camargo (Nov. 20, 2016 vs. Dartmouth) and Ryan Raposo (Nov. 21, 2019 vs. Rhode Island). No Syracuse player has scored more than two goals.
- Leveque is the fifth player in program history to assist on two goals in the national tournament.
- Nine of the 17 Syracuse players to appear in Thursday’s contest appeared in their first NCAA Tournament game.
- Kaloukian has scored a combined three goals in the last two matches and registered 16 shot attempts over the last three games.
- This is the eighth game this season where Kaloukian has recorded four-or-more shot attempts.
- Kaloukian paces the Orange with 15 points and is tied with senior Lorenzo Boselli for the team lead in goals with six.
UP NEXT:
Syracuse travels to New Hampshire to play the eighth-seeded Wildcats in the NCAA Second Round on Sunday, Nov. 19 at 2 p.m. The match will air live on ESPN+.
