Syracuse is mired in a four-game winless streak after its historic eight-win start to 2016. The No. 10 Orange (8-3-1, 2-2-1 Atlantic Coast) welcomes No. 15 Virginia Tech (9-2-2, 2-2-2) to SU Soccer Stadium on Friday for a 7 p.m. kickoff. Here’s everything you need to know about the matchup.

All-time series: Virginia Tech leads, 4-1

Last time they played: The teams last played Oct. 4, 2014. Syracuse prevailed, 1-0, in double overtime and escaped courtesy of an Emil Ekblom goal in the 107th minute to improve to 9-1 on the season. Alex Bono chipped in six saves in the shutout and Oyvind Alseth and Chris Nanco were credited with assists on Ekblom’s header goal.

The Virginia Tech report: While SU hasn’t won in its last four games, Virginia Tech hasn’t lost in that same span. The two sides have a pair of common opponents, Notre Dame and North Carolina State. Notre Dame, which beat Syracuse with a last-minute game-winning goal, thrashed VT, 4-1. The Hokies beat N.C. State, 3-0, while SU also shut out the Wolfpack, 2-0. VT’s other loss came to then-No. 7 Clemson, 2-1.

Marcelo Acuna leads the Hokies with nine goals, five of which have been game-winners. Six other players have two goals and seven others have one. VT’s 24 goals in ACC play rank second in the conference behind the Fighting Irish’s 25. Virginia Tech has only surrendered 10 goals in 13 games compared to Syracuse’s nine. Its 28 goals on the entire season are seven better than Syracuse’s. The Orange’s total has been dragged down by several recent lackluster offensive performances.

“They’re a good team,” SU head coach Ian McIntyre said. “Powerful, strong, we’ve got our hands full.”

How Syracuse beats Virginia Tech: All it takes is a look at the statistics sheet to see who Virginia Tech’s offense revolves around. Acuna is one of the best forwards in the ACC, and SU already fell victim to a last-minute goal from arguably the best striker in the conference in Notre Dame’s Jon Gallagher. But UND had several other offensive weapons, and VT’s scoring output is heavily skewed by the junior.

Luckily for Syracuse, which has allowed three goals in the two games center back Miles Robinson has been with the United States Under-20 National Team, the sophomore returns for Friday’s game and has the best chance of anyone to shut down Acuna. If Syracuse can do that, it should be on track to snap out of the funk it’s currently in.

Stats to know:
14 – Players that have scored for VT this season

81.8 – Percent of shots on goal Hokies goalkeeper Ben Lundgaard saves

32 – Virginia Tech has been called offsides 32 times, the most in the ACC

Player to watch: Marcelo Acuna, forward, No. 11

The 6-foot-2 transfer from Houston Baptist University is coming off ACC Co-Offensive Player of the Week honors. If you need an indication as to how deadly he can be, the first hat trick for VT soccer since 2010 came via Ocuna just over a week ago. He scored all three goals in a 26-minute span. The Orange’s back three will have its hands full, and it will take an effort from not only Kamal Miller, Robinson and Louis Cross, but also defensive-minded midfielders Mo Adams and Liam Callahan to stop Acuna wherever he ventures on the field.

Published on October 12, 2016 at 11:22 pm

Contact Matt: mcschnei@syr.edu | @matt_schneidman