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Syracuse commanded a 1-0 lead into the 70th minute until Sam Layton was called for a handball in SU’s box, giving Wake Forest a penalty kick. On the ensuing spot kick, Cooper Flax buried the shot to bring the Demon Deacons level.

Thirteen minutes later, Wake Forest pushed the ball deep into Syracuse’s defensive zone. Dylan Borso drove toward the end line, drawing multiple defenders before he lifted the ball into the middle of the box. Travis Smith Jr. was the first to the cross, heading the ball into the net to put Wake Forest ahead 2-1.

Just like that, the Orange’s lead vanished and they were unable to overcome the deficit.

After taking the lead in the 16th minute, No. 12 seed Syracuse (7-7-3, 2-4-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) collapsed in the final 20 minutes, falling 2-1 to No. 5 seed Wake Forest (9-4-5, 4-2-2 ACC) in the first round of the ACC Tournament. The loss was the fourth time SU failed to hold its lead this season. The game followed the same path as SU’s 2-1 loss to the Demon Deacons on Sept. 27.

“(The result was) painful, because I think that we deserve something out of this,” SU head coach Ian McIntyre said postgame.

Fresh off defeating then-No. 3 Pitt 2-0 to end the regular season for its highest-ranked win since 2022, SU threatened early.

In the 16th minute, Michael Acquah, back from a one-game red card suspension, beat two defenders before crossing it into the box for Gabe Threadgold. As the ball came in, Threadgold beat Amoni Thomas to it and fired it past Wake Forest goalkeeper Trace Alphin to give SU a 1-0 lead.

Threadgold’s goal provided the Orange with an early advantage against the Demon Deacons, who entered the match with the fewest goals allowed (seven) in the conference.

“The ground that (Threadgold) covers in the game, to have that dynamism and to have that pace, (he’s) a guy who empties the tank,” McIntyre said.

Ten minutes later, Syracuse nearly forced its hand again. On a goal kick by Wake Forest, Daniel Burko intercepted the ball and found Ernest Bawa for a shot in the box, but it trickled wide.

Then, the Demon Deacons started to form threatening attacks created by Ryan Belal and Jeffrey White. In the 34th minute, Belal crossed the ball to White for an open shot in front of the SU net, but goalkeeper Tomas Hut kicked the ball away.

Five minutes later, Bo Cummins attacked from the right side, but Hut reacted with his foot again to deny the shot. Wake Forest kept the pressure on, as Nico Rabiu ripped a shot from just above the box, but Layton jumped in front to block it with his body.

Through 45 minutes, each team tallied three shots on goal, but Hut’s play powered SU to a 1-0 lead.

Syracuse started the second half on the front foot, applying pressure on Wake Forest’s defense. After sitting for the later part of the first half, Acquah returned and started a possession. He got it to Threadgold on the left side who crossed it into Carlos Zambrano, but his shot was blocked in the box.

In response, the Demon Deacons took the ball into Syracuse’s final third, yet Ben Rosenblatt locked down Rabiu for a takeaway. About a minute later, Wake Forest moved the ball to Rabiu again, but Acquah got it back for the Orange.

As possession see-sawed back and forth, Wake Forest got on the attack in the 59th minute and delivered a cross into the box. The pass rolled to the far side and Colin Thomas outmuscled Chimere Omeze for the ball. Thomas fired a shot on frame, yet Hut stonewalled it.

Then, in the 70th minute, Syracuse’s Layton worked on Julian Kennedy in the box but the ball hit him in the hand. After a video review, the referees decided it was a handball, which led to Flax’s game-tying penalty score.

“Games get changed on small decisions, and unfortunately, it didn’t go away tonight,” McIntyre said.

Syracuse looked to respond in the 72nd minute after Zambrano drew a free kick in Wake Forest’s end, but Smith Jr. headed Elton Chifamba’s service out of the box.

The Demon Deacons applied more pressure, yet Omeze jumped in front of a shot in the 77th minute. Six minutes later though, SU did not have a player to stop Smith Jr. as his header gave Wake Forest a 2-1 lead.

The Orange battled late in the game as Hut collected his career-high sixth save of the game in the 85th minute and Ezra Widman fired a close miss, but it ran out of time to knot the score.

“I’m heartbroken for our guys right now, but I’m extremely proud of them,” McIntyre said. “They left everything out on the field in a tough environment.”

Published on November 7, 2024 at 12:02 am

Contact Timmy at: tswilcox@syr.edu | @TimmyWilcox32