Louisville Downs Orange in ACC Semifinals, 2-1

Friday, November 14

Cary, NC

8 p.m.

Syracuse University

15-3-1

Louisville

10-6-3

Louisville

Syracuse

Photo by: Sara D. Davis, theACC.com

11/14/2014 11:54:00 PM | Men's Soccer

Box Score

'Cuse's late rally comes up short

CARY, N.C. – No. 19 Louisville scored once in each half and held off a late Syracuse charge to defeat the top-ranked Orange, 2-1, in the semifinal round of the 2014 ACC Men's Soccer Championship at WakeMed Soccer Park on Friday, Nov. 14.

Will Vitalis and Ricardo Velazco both found the back of the net for the sixth-seeded Cardinals. Alex Halis scored a late goal for the second-seeded Orange.

Syracuse is now 15-3-1 overall. Louisville improved to 10-6-3. The Cardinals will face Clemson for the ACC title Sunday afternoon.

In the first half, Syracuse and Louisville combined for six total shots (three each). The two sides played a possession game and spent most of the period feeling one another out. Halis, making his second straight start, created the match's first good scoring chance in the 27th minute, slipping behind the Louisville defense and ripping a shot that was smothered by Cardinals' keeper Joachim Ball.

Ball recorded his second save of the game a little more than 11 minutes later, turning aside a volley by SU's Korab Syla.

At the opposite end of the field, Louisville capitalized on its first dangerous offensive opportunity. In the 42nd minute, Velazco crossed the ball off the end line into the six-yard box. Vitalis, who got inside a Syracuse defender, was waiting and chipped the ball past goalie Alex Bono to give the Cardinals a 1-0 lead before halftime.

The Cardinals pushed their advantage to 2-0 in the 65th minute. ACC Freshman of the Year Tim Kubel lofted a free kick into the box that Daniel Keller flicked toward the far post for Velazco, who finished from close range.

Halis answered for Syracuse in the 77th minute, notching his second goal in as many games by converting a rebound off a hard blast from Liam Callahan, to close the gap to 2-1.

Syracuse controlled the run of play in the game's final stages and nearly tied the match with less than two minutes left when Oyvind Alseth hit the post with a header following a restart. However, the Cardinals held on to record their second 2-1 victory against the Orange this season.

"I thought we were on top of the game during the first half and we were enjoying a good passage of play," Syracuse coach Ian McIntyre said. "Then to concede a goal late … The start to the second half was a little bit flat. We were looking for a little bit more quality and a little bit more energy. The second (Louisville) goal probably gave us the kick in the rear that we needed. But it is a big ask to come back from a second goal."

Velazco (1 goal, 1 assist) finished with a game-high three points for the Cardinals and Ball was credited with four saves. Bono made one stop for the Orange.

Syracuse outshot Louisville 7-5, including a 4-2 advantage in the second half.

At 15-3-1, the Orange is eligible for an at-large berth in the 2014 NCAA Division I Men's Soccer Championship. The 48-team tournament field will be revealed Monday, Nov. 17 at 1 p.m. on NCAA.com.

Match Notes: Two of Syracuse's three losses are to Louisville ... The Cardinals are the only team to score more than once against the Orange this season. In two games, the Cardinals tallied four of the nine goals (44.4 pct.) Syracuse has allowed in 2014 … Callahan's assist was his second in as many games.