Wolfpack Opens ACC Play at Home Friday

September 8, 2016

Match Notes | Live Stats | Watch Live (ACC Network Extra) | Tickets

RALEIGH – The NC State men's soccer team opens Atlantic Coast Conference play Friday evening at home against No. 6 Syracuse. Kickoff between the Wolfpack and Orange is set for 7 p.m. from Dail Soccer Stadium and the match will be broadcast live on the ACC Network Extra.

GAMEDAY PROMOTIONS
Wear red!
Free pizza and noisemakers for students
International Student Night

A WIN ON FRIDAY WOULD...
-Be the 498th win in program history
-Be the 118th win of HC Kelly Findley's career
-Be NC State's third win over Syracuse (seventh meeting)
-Be NC State's first win over a top-10 foe since a 2-1 victory over No. 5 Louisville in Raleigh on Oct. 3, 2014.

HOME STAND UNDERWAY
NC State's match against No. 6 Syracuse is the second contest in a three-game home stand. Following the match against the Orange, NC State will host No. 28 Elon on Tuesday, Sept. 13.

ADE TAIWO SCORES TWO
Redshirt sophomore Ade Taiwo recorded the first multi-goal match of his career Sept. 4 against North Florida. The Raleigh native scored goals in the 14th and 17th minutes of the match on assists from teammates Lukas Zarges and Simon Blotko, respectively. Taiwo currently is tied for fourth in the ACC with three goals on the season.

YANNI IS BACK
Senior midfielder Yanni Hachem made his season debut in the match against North Florida on Sept. 4. The Cary, N.C., native nearly scored in the 45th minute, ripping a half volley on target from inside the penalty area. Hachem missed the first two matches of the season with a minor injury sustained in preseason training camp and has played in 37th matches throughout his Wolfpack career.

SERIES HISTORY
-Friday's match marks the seventh meeting between NC State and Syracuse.
-NC State trails the all-time series by a 2-3-1 count.
-Syracuse defeated NC State twice last season, both times in New York. NC State fell 2-1 at Syracuse on Oct. 23 and 2-0 at Syracuse in the first round of the ACC Tournament on Nov. 4.
-In the last meeting between the teams in Raleigh, NC State and Syracuse played to a 0-0 (2OT) draw on Oct. 25, 2014.
-NC State's last win over Syracuse (1-0) came in Durham, N.C., on Sept. 8, 1991. The teams began meeting regularly with the 2013 season.

SCOUTING THE ORANGE
-Syracuse enters Friday's match the owner of a 4-0-0 record and the No. 6 national ranking in the Sept. 6 NSCAA Coaches Poll.
-All four of the Orange's matches have been at home. Syracuse has defeated Massachusetts (3-0), Loyola Marymount (2-1, 2OT), Colgate (3-0), and St. John's (3-2).
-The Orange has outscored its opponents 11-3 in 2016.
-Syracuse won the ACC Tournament in 2015 and advanced to the College Cup semifinals, eventually losing to national runner-up Clemson.

#GoPack

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Players Mentioned

Simon Blotko

Yanni Hachem

Ade Taiwo

Lukas Zarges