#NCAASoccer: 'Cuse Tops Penn State, 2-1

Sunday, November 23

SU Soccer Stadium

2 p.m.

Syracuse University

16-3-1

Penn State

13-6-1

Penn State

Syracuse

Photo by: Michael J. Okoniewski

11/23/2014 5:25:00 PM | Men's Soccer

Box Score

Orange to face Georgetown in Round of 16

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Emil Ekblom and Oyvind Alseth scored less than 10 minutes apart in the second half to lift No. 4 Syracuse (16-3-1) to a 2-1 victory against Penn State (13-6-1) in the second round of the 2014 NCAA Men's Soccer Championship on Sunday, Nov. 23 at the SU Soccer Stadium.

Ekblom found the net in the 74th minute and Alseth struck in the 84th minute as the Orange rallied from a 1-0 deficit to win the first home NCAA Tournament match in team history. Alseth factored in both goals, assisting on Ekblom's tally in addition to notching the winner.

"It was a big day for our program, just being able to host a postseason game." Syracuse head coach Ian McIntyre said afterward. "For the last five years we've been working hard to have an opportunity to show our supporters what a postseason college soccer match is about. That was it today, even with all the students home for Thanksgiving break, a number of them stayed around and it was a fun atmosphere. Not just winning, but having the chance to play a home game and now I hope we can win some games and maybe we'll get a chance to come back here later in the tournament."

Ninth-seeded Syracuse controlled the match from the opening whistle, keeping the ball in the attacking third for the majority of play. The Orange created several chances in the first half, outshooting Penn State in the period, 8-1, but could not break through. Alseth rang the post in the seventh minute after a cross from Julian Buescher. Approximately 13 minutes later it was Buescher again displaying his creativity, sending the ball into Alex Halis who directed a header on frame that was deflected just wide by Penn State goalkeeper Andrew Wolverton.

Wolverton was spectacular for the Nittany Lions. He recorded eight saves in the game and nearly all were acrobatic stops that prevented would-be Syracuse goals.

With their senior keeper standing tall, Connor Maloney gave the Nittany Lions a 1-0 advantage in the 60th minute by converting a penalty kick after Orange defender Tyler Hilliard was called for a foul in the area.

After conceding the game's first goal, Syracuse raised its level of intensity and recorded the game's next three shots. Wolverton made one save in the sequence and got some help from the post as a header by senior Skylar Thomas in the 73rd minute struck the crossbar and bounced away.

Finally, in the 74th minute, Syracuse's effort was rewarded. Ekblom received a slick pass from Alseth and streaked down the right side. He separated himself from the defense and snuck the ball past Wolverton to the short side to equalize the match. The goal was Ekblom's team-leading eighth of the season and his first in the last five games.

The Orange continued to attack following Ekblom's strike, registering four consecutive shots before a long free kick from Jordan Murrell found Alseth with space on the right wing. He carried the ball to the end line and sent a shallow cross in toward Wolverton. The Penn State keeper collected it, but lost his footing and the ball trickled over the goal line, putting the Orange ahead, 2-1, at the 83:17 mark.

With time winding down, Penn State created one of its few dangerous scoring opportunities. In the 88th minute, Eli Dennis controlled a loose ball in the box and fired a shot just wide of the net. The attempt proved to be the final shot of the match as the Orange killed the remaining time to advance to the third round.

The Orange dominated the statistics, outshooting Penn State 19-5 and holding a 6-0 advantage in corner kicks.

Syracuse will head south to face No. 8 seed Georgetown on Sunday, Nov. 30. The Hoyas defeated Old Dominion, 2-1, in double overtime to set up a rematch of the 2012 NCAA third-round match between the Orange and Hoyas. That one went to penalty kicks with Georgetown eliminating Syracuse in the shootout, 4-2.

Match Notes: Syracuse has 16 wins this season, one shy of the team record of 17 set in 1982 … Maloney's penalty kick was the only shot on goal by the Nittany Lions ... Murrell's assist on Alseth's game-winning goal was the 20th of his career, moving him into a tie with Jarett Park (2001-03) for fourth on Syracuse's career assists list ... The Orange is now 3-1-1 in five NCAA Tournament matches ... Penn State fell to 5-23-0 all-time in road NCAA games.