Ekblom Leads SU Past Wolfpack, 5-0

Friday, October 4

SU Soccer Stadium

7 p.m.

Syracuse University

8-3-0, 2-3-0ACC

NC State

4-3-2, 1-3-1ACC

NC State

Syracuse

Emil Ekblom registered SU's first hat trick since 2008 in a 5-0 rout of NC State.

Photo by: Michael J. Okoniewski

10/4/2013 10:18:00 PM | Men's Soccer

Box Score

Score By Period	1st	2nd	Final
NC State	0	0	0
Syracuse	3	2	5
Box Score \| Photos Oct. 4, 2013 \| SU Soccer Stadium / Syracuse, N.Y. \| Attendance: 667

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Emil Ekblom set an SU Soccer Stadium record with seven points (three goals, one assist) and the SU men's soccer team (8-3-0, 2-3-0 ACC) was stifling defensively in a 5-0 rout of NC State (4-3-2, 1-3-1 ACC) on Friday, Oct. 4 at the SU Soccer Stadium. Ekblom factored in four of the Orange's five goals and posted the 25th hat trick in school history.

"We have some very good young players," said SU head coach Ian McIntyre. "Emil (Ekblom) took his goals well. His third one was a quality finish. Any time you can score a hat trick it is quite sweet."

The Orange seized control of the contest with three goals in the game's first 24 minutes. SU opened the scoring in the 16th minute when Skylar Thomas headed a perfect Jordan Murrell serve across the goal line for a 1-0 Syracuse advantage.

Less than seven minutes later, Ekblom recorded his first point of the match when his quality service found the foot of a streaking Chris Nanco, who slotted the ball past Wolfpack goalkeeper Fabian Otte to double the Orange lead.

Just over a minute later, Ekblom notched his first goal of the game as his header found the back of the net after Nick Perea's shot ricocheted off the crossbar. The goal extended the Orange lead to 3-0 at halftime.

Ekblom added his second goal of the night six minutes into the second half. He was the benefactor of another rebound that he powered past Otte. Ekblom completed the hat trick in the 58th minute, receiving a perfect through-ball from Oyvind Alseth and finishing after Alseth split two NC State defenders.

Defensively, the Orange recorded its fifth shutout of the season. The starting backline of Thomas and Tyler Hilliard, both of whom returned from injury, as well as Chris Makowski and Murrell limited the Wolfpack to three shots in 90 minutes. Only of them was on goal and that attempt was stopped by Alex Bono who recorded his 15th career shutout.

Otte made seven saves for the Wolfpack. No NC State player attempted more than one shot.

The Orange held a 15-3 advantage in shots for the game. NC State earned five corner kicks, while Syracuse attempted four.

The Orange returns to action Tuesday, Oct. 8 with a match at Boston College. SU and the Eagles kick off at 5 p.m. at the Newtown Campus Soccer Complex.

Match Notes: The Orange last scored five or more goals on Sept. 9, 2012 against St. Bonaventure ... Friday's scoring output was the team's most goals in a conference match since netting five against former BIG EAST compatriot Providence on Sept. 22, 2001 … Ekblom's hat trick is the first SU player since Spencer Schomaker had three goals against Adelphi on Oct. 21, 2008 … Bono's 15 career shutouts is tied with Rick Fatscher (1982-1985) for fourth on the team's all-time list … Thomas' goal was his first since he scored at UMass on Sept. 25, 2012 … Hilliard played 58 minutes in his first start of the season.