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Syracuse headed into its road test with undefeated UNC without a single away win this season. And the last time SU stepped foot in North Carolina, it fell 5-3 to No. 18 Duke on Sep. 29. But Friday night was different for the Orange.

After finding the net early, No. 18 Syracuse (6-2-3, 2-1-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) held on for a 1-0 win over No. 13 North Carolina (5-1-4, 1-1-3 ACC). SU center back Buster Sjoberg’s header in the first proved to be enough. Despite facing a flurry of shots from the Tar Heels in the second half, goalkeeper Jaheim Whickham recorded a career-high four saves to keep his second consecutive clean sheet.

Follow its 1-0 midweek win against Colgate on Tuesday, Syracuse started strong in Chapel Hill. In the fourth minute, midfielder Jeorgio Kocevski received the ball on the right edge of the box before firing a low shot. Still, UNC keeper Andrew Cordes collected easily.

Just shy of 20 minutes later, Kocevski assisted the opening goal. His corner kick found Sjoberg, who directed a looping header toward the left post. UNC’s Parker O’Ferral looked to be in position to clear the ball but seemed to think Sjoberg’s effort was going wide. O’Ferral backpedaled, letting the ball nestle into the left corner.

Sjoberg’s header was his first career goal for Syracuse and gave the Orange a 1-0 lead in the 23rd minute. Kocevski’s assist was his eighth on the season, which ranks No. 2 in Division I.

SU dominated in all phases of the game during the first half. It controlled the pace while keeping UNC’s offense at bay. The Orange went into the break with seven shots while the Tar Heels failed to register one.

In the 55th minute, the Orange looked to double their advantage. On the left wing, Felipe D’Agostini switched the ball to Nate Edwards on the opposite flank. Edwards chipped a ball down the line for Lorenzo Boselli, who beat his man and sent in a cross.

Searching for Nicholas Kaloukian, who squirmed free from his marker, Boselli placed the ball perfectly for Kaloukian inside the 18-yard box. But the pass fell to the striker’s weaker left foot, resulting in a whiffed opportunity.

That would be Syracuse’s last big chance of the game. For the rest of the way, SU’s defense held tight as North Carolina started to push more numbers forward. UNC’s Quenzi Huerman clipped the left post on a free kick a couple of paces outside of the box. Then, in the 84th minute, Huerman escaped Sjoberg to find a clean look on goal. His enusing shot clipped of the back of Josh Belluz’s cleat but Wickham was able to tip the effort over the bar.

With two minutes remaining in regular team, UNC midfielder Sam Williams cut infield. Nobody closed in on him. Williams took a couple of touches to his left before firing a swerving shot destined for the top left corner. Though Wickham had to stretch full extension, he tipped the shot aside for his fourth and final save of the night. Through three appearances, the sophomore has yet to concede a goal.

“Jaheim was very solid,” Syracuse head coach Ian McIntyre said after Wickham helped hold Colgate scoreless on Tuesday. “If you get shutouts, you get a chance to win soccer matches.”

That’s exactly what Syracuse did on Friday, recording its fifth shutout of the season. The Orange desperately needed to put together a good showing on the road after three straight sluggish performances away from home.

“North Carolina is a really good team and it’s really tough to play here,” McIntyre said in a release from Syracuse Athletics after the game. “I am very proud of our guys to go on the road and come away with three points.”

Published on October 6, 2023 at 11:30 pm

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