In one of the biggest victories in the history of Le Moyne athletics, the Le Moyne Dolphins’ men’s soccer team defeated #7 Syracuse on the road 1-0 Monday night. Senior defender Jack Goodrich scored the lone goal in the victory on a penalty kick in the 17th minute. The monumental upset victory improved Le Moyne’s record to 2-1 this season.
In addition to the remarkable nature of the victory, it is worth mentioning that this match was historic for another reason, it marked the first-ever meeting between the men’s soccer programs of both schools. This unprecedented encounter added even more significance to the Dolphins’ triumph, making their win not only memorable but also symbolic for the program.
The match kicked off with Le Moyne striking first against the heavily favored Orange, who won the D-I championship in 2022. The Dolphins came out strong, showing early attacking intent. Going forward, this aggressiveness led Le Moyne’s red-shirt freshman Justin Pham to take on his defender outside of the box and beat him to the goal line. Syracuse Freshman Chimere Omeze made a desperate tackle in an attempt to regain possession but ended up colliding with Pham, resulting in a penalty kick for Le Moyne.
When asked about his game plan, Le Moyne Head Coach Cal Donnelly said, “It was about remaining concentrated and disciplined. We had to take our luck and fortune within the match, but sometimes it is about earning it.”
From the penalty spot in the 17th minute of the game, Le Moyne captain and red-shirt senior Jack Goodrich stepped up to the spot to take a crucial spot-kick. Goodrich then slotted the ball into the bottom right corner giving Le Moyne a 1-0 lead.
“I was nervous taking the penalty but I was always confident taking it.” Goodrich would say reflecting on the goal. “I was just fortunate enough to get the ball in the back of the net and help the team see out the win.“
From that moment on Le Moyne executed a defensive masterclass, as they opted for a low block as a way of countering a strong Syracuse attack. As the game progressed, Syracuse began to put serious pressure on Le Moyne, pinning the Dolphins deep in their half while also delivering a relentless amount of shots, corners, and free kicks.
Despite the constant pressure, and being outshot 28-5, Le Moyne’s defense remained compact and composed. Sophomore goalkeeper Wyatt Dupell was an immense presence, making a season-high eight saves–just one short of his career best. Duppell’s performance was pivotal in ensuring Le Moyne a victory over their neighboring rivals.
Despite making national headlines with their performance, coach Donnelly said the ‘Phins still have a lot of work left to do.
“The boys worked so hard over the night. I’m proud of them. But it’s about the next challenge. We have a tough game vs Delaware ahead and we will prepare for that when we get back to training.” said Donnelly
The ’Phins will return to action against Delaware’s Blue Hens on Saturday at Le Moyne’s Ted Grant field.
