SU men's soccer team looks forward to creating November memories

Oyvind Alseth in the game

Story and photos by Jiayang Zhang

Syracuse N.Y.- The last regular-season game went on and on, all the way to double overtime. Both teams needed to win. For Boston College, this was a do-or-die battle to assure a spot in the ACC tournament. For Syracuse, this win would be a key to open the door for playing postseason games at home. 

The Syracuse University men’s soccer team lost only two games this season, and tied one. Before Friday night’s game, the Orange always had been the first to score, except in the 1-0 loss to Notre Dame and 0-0 tie with North Carolina State. But the 11th minute goal by Boston College senior midfielder Diego Medina-Mendez forced the Orange to fight an uphill battle for the first time this season.

Eighteen minutes later, Syracuse tied the score in the 29th minute. Oyvind Alseth broke through Boston College’s defensive line and was taken down in the box, earning a penalty kick for the Orange. Senior captain Nick Perea took the penalty kick as usual, calmly hitting the ball into the lower right of the net.

In the rest of the regulation time, neither team was able to break the tie. Syracuse dominated the game, and had several chances to end it earlier, but Boston College goalkeeper Alex Kapp made great saves to keep his team in the game. 

Entering overtime, both teams players appeared exhausted and could barely complete their moves. Finally, SU's other senior captain Skylar Thomas stepped up for the Orange in the 103rd minute. The 6' 3" defender seized a rebound from a shot by Alex Halis and fired it into the net.

The stadium exploded with pure excitement. 

“It’s a special night,” Perea said with a broad smile after the game. “We’ve been with this team for so long. We’ve gone through so much. First year here, we were 3-12. And we’ve turned this program around, all of us together. And I’m proud what we’ve accomplished.” 

Thomas, who scored the winning goal, said for the first time in his four-year career he played the last game of the regular season knowing the Orange was going to go to the postseason.
 

“It was a good feeling,” Thomas said.   

Kelly: Taking on a tough team

Alex Bono hugs BC player after the game

It had been chilly when the Boston College team arrived at Syracuse University's Hookway field Friday morning with the temperature in the mid-forties.

Head Coach Ed Kelly knew it would be tough that night.

“We are expecting a very tough opponent, well-coached and disciplined team,” Kelly said while putting on an extra pair of pants to keep warm. 
 

It had not been the best season for the Eagles. They were hurt by injuries to key players, they have had a lot of road games outside the conference, and the ACC's crossover system sent them the best opponents from the Coastal Division.

If the Eagles lost to Syracuse , it could be their last game.  

“They are on top now, they have done a great job turning the program around, Kelly said. “They play 3-5-2, a different system than we do. With only three defenders, they did very well. They have decent forwards, their midfielders are good, and they are very physical in the back as well. This is a well-balanced team.” 

Kelly’s prediction came true. The two teams gave the audience a long but watchable last show.  In the end the Orange was too tough for the Eagles

McIntyre: Making memories

The team celebrated after scoring the winning goal

 

“To get your senior captain to get the winner on senior night, you guys won’t have to come up with too many creative headlines,” SU Head Coach Ian McIntyre joked to reporters after the game. He even came up with a headline for them.

“Two senior captains scored tonight. It writes itself.” 

“This is a playoff game. We talked it before and we talked it during the halftime. This has a feel of a national tournament game.

“Sometimes Senior Night can be tough on your team because there is a lot of swirling stuff that goes on and off the field, swirling emotions that you can’t control. But very proud that we win the game.”

“I give 15 for tonight’s game,” McIntyre said without hesitation when he was asked to rate the team’s performance from 0 to 10. “Because that’s what we ended up with the ACC points.” 

This win gives the Orange a chance to play post-season games, more importantly, at home. The conference will announce the seeds and match ups for the 2014 ACC Men's Soccer Championship on Saturday.

McIntyre looks forward to continuing to make history with his squad.

“October, memories are wonderful," he said. "But there is nothing better than creating November memories.”

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#PackTheHill: Voice from the Fans

Ben Glidden and Mike Rempter
initiators of #PackTheHill on twitter

Besides the passionate cheering from the stands by goalkeeper Alex Bono’s mother as usual, it was hard to ignore a voice from the hill, during the SU-Boston College men's soccer game.

“WHAT IS THE MATTER WITH YOU!”

 After SU was penalized for an arguable foul, a roar burst from the grassy hill behind the south goal, standing out from the dissatisfied shouts in the stadium. The crowd was amused by the furious inquiry.

The owner of the unforgettable voice is Mike Rempter, a sophomore in SU's Newhouse and Whitman Schools.   

“Sometimes I keep to myself,” Rempter said at halftime. “Sometimes I’m louder, try to get involved, to help the team out as much as possible.”

As an enthusiastic fan of SU soccer, Rempter and his Newhouse friend Ben Glidden started a twitter topic #PackTheHill from the Otto’s Army's twitter last year, but didn’t get many people buying into it.

This year, the team got on board with it, working their best to turn the hill to a student section. 

“It has been pretty successful,” Rempter said.  It was hard to tell the big progress they've made from the two dozen people on the hill that night, but he says  they set the record at the Notre Dame game. How many "packed the hill for that game is not clear.

“It’s awesome. I saw them (the SU team) last year, they were really good, had a lot of potential and I knew they would be really good this year. So I’m happy they played as well as they did. I’m happy to see them get recognition around the country. And I think they definitely have potential to do some damage in the tournament.” 

Rempter used to lead the crowd in high school in New Jersey. He was the guy who got everyone to go to the game. So it was kind of natural for him to try to get people come to every game at SU. 

Julian Buescher and Noah Rhynhart are Rempter’s favorite players.

“I like Julian Buscher a lot because I’m a big Germany soccer fan. I like Noah Ryanhard... He is scrappy and he does what he needs to do... I like guys (who) don’t necessarily get the recognition, but come off the bench play hard, play strong, do a lot for the team.”

Rempter said he doesn’t care too much about other people’s reactions to his loud cheering.

“I expected that. I’ve always been the loud one, so it doesn’t really bother me.”

Glidden,  the other initiator of #PackTheHill  is his fifth year in Newhouse since he changed his major from Broadcast and Digital Journalism to Public Relations. 

“We have a really good team,” Glidden said. “All the teams here on campus deserve the credit for being good because they work really hard. They work just as hard as basketball players and football players who get the huge crowds. So I think it’s very important to come out to support them.”