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Syracuse dropped to No. 7 in the United Soccer Coaches’ poll after losing its first game of the season. The Orange were off to their best start since 2016, and were the No. 3 team in the country before they lost in a late defeat to the Cavaliers. SU stands at 7-1-1 and are second in the Atlantic Coast Conference standings.

Syracuse started Saturday’s match by dominating possession in the first 20 minutes, outshooting Virginia 4-2. But midfielder Jeorgio Kocevski was called for two yellow cards in that span. After the second card, Kocevski was taken out of the game, limiting the Orange to 10 men for the remaining 69 minutes.

While the Cavaliers eventually outshot Syracuse, players like midfielder Curt Calov and defenseman Christian Curti all got attempts at the net. But the Cavaliers’ pressure on their own end eventually turned into multiple shot opportunities. Following a foul by SU’s Olu Oyegunle, Virginia got the ball back and Leo Afonso found enough space to take a shot that buried into the top right corner of the net.

But the Orange still had one final opportunity after the goal. Nathan Opoku got his head on a Russell Shealy goal kick and the ball made its way to Levonte Johnson. The Seattle transfer leaped over the ball to roll it to Opoku. After facing pressure, Opoku passed to Giona Leibold, who promptly took a shot. The ball sailed over the net, cementing Syracuse’s first scoreless game of 2022.