In its first Atlantic Coast Conference game of the year, Syracuse led No. 11 Virginia on the road for nearly a third of the game before conceding the lead in an eventual tie. In its next conference game, Syracuse struck first again, this time holding a lead over then-No. 17 Louisville for nearly 20 minutes before sinking into an escapable deficit. Then, Syracuse was the seventh-ranked team in the country, just needing “that final quality cross and touch to be able to put it away,” as Syracuse head coach Ian McIntyre said following the game on Sept. 9.

It wasn’t just that night his team lacked the final touch.

Since tying Virginia, Syracuse (6-8-3, 0-6-2 ACC) has won three games, none of which have been in conference play. For the first time in its four-year history in conference play, Syracuse enters the ACC Tournament without a conference win. The Orange has been outscored 14-8 in conference play, with each loss coming by one goal. In three of its eight conference games, SU led in shots but never goals. Now, the former Top 10 team is the last seed and will travel to fifth-seeded Clemson on Wednesday at 7 p.m. in the first round of the ACC Tournament.

“We realize there’s no safety net, certainly with playoffs,” McIntyre said. “That’s why it will be electric, that’s why it’s fun. And that’s why we do this.”

In the final regular season game of the season, Syracuse tied No. 1 Wake Forest, which entered the matchup unbeaten in conference play. Hendrik Hilpert tallied a career high nine saves en route to ACC Defensive Player of the Week honors. But Syracuse didn’t register a shot on goal in that match.

Even when the Orange shot on goal, its inability to connect has plagued SU all season. On Oct. 7, against North Carolina State, no defender stood in front of Hugo Delhommelle. The junior midfielder rocketed a shot toward N.C. State’s goalkeeper, who deflected the shot and sprawled on the ground, stopping the ball from crossing the goal line. Two minutes later, N.C. State did what Syracuse couldn’t and buried the ball in the back of the net.

Against Duke on Sept. 22, Tajon Buchanan broke free from the Blue Devil defense. The freshman forward sprung into the air and knocked the ball hard at the Duke goal. It bounced off goalkeeper Will Pulisic’s face and Syracuse remained scoreless just under 20 minutes into the game. Eighteen minutes later, Duke provided the goal Syracuse had failed to en route to a 2-1 victory.

“I think if we avoid those mistakes, especially like we did against Wake Forest, we are one of the strongest teams in the nation,” Delhommelle said. “That’s what we are looking for, just don’t make any mistakes.”

The tie against Wake Forest marked just the second time SU has blanked its opponent this season, nine less than last year’s 11 shutouts. The Orange held opposing ACC teams scoreless for at least a third of the game in six of its eight conference matches. Only one ended in a shutout.

The other conference opponent Syracuse came closest to shutting out will host the Orange on Wednesday. Clemson ended Syracuse’s season in 2015 and its conference tournament run in 2016. In the first meeting between the two teams this season, Syracuse held Clemson scoreless for more than 70 minutes, before falling 2-1 following two goals for the Tigers in a five-minute span.

In what McIntyre and his team are calling “Clemson Part Seven,” Syracuse seeks a result it hasn’t been granted all season. For it to finally happen, Syracuse will need to do something it hasn’t done this season: finish.

Published on October 31, 2017 at 9:37 pm

Contact Josh: jlschafe@syr.edu | @Schafer_44