Syracuse on Deck for Men's Soccer in Thursday Night Clash
Penn State at Syracuse
1-1-0 | 0-0-0 B1G
1-1-0 | 0-0-0 ACC
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Penn State men's soccer remains on the road this week for a Thursday night matchup on August 28, as the Nittany Lions take the pitch against Syracuse for the 42nd meeting all-time. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. on ACCNX.
Follow the Action
For fans of the Nittany Lions unable to attend the contest on the Hudson, the game will stream live to a worldwide audience of authenticated subscribers via ACCNX and the ESPN app. Nicholas Waley adn AJ Myers will call the action live from the SU Soccer Stadium press box. Click the link here to be redirected to the live stream of the broadcast and sign in with credentials for access. Live stats provided by Syracuse and Sidearm Sports are available here.
KICKIN’ IT
Penn State men’s soccer looks to return to the Big Ten Tournament this year after a falter in the 2024 season, and earn an NCAA Tournament bid for the first time since the 2021 season.
A stumble in Sunday’s match at Army dropped the Nittany Lions to a .500 record, but the Blue and White looks to right the ship this week whent he team travels to Syracuse, New York to take on Syracuse at SU Soccer Stadium.
Malick Daouda, Caden Grabfelder, and Kai Phillip were each named Big Ten Players to Watch in the preseason. Daouda returns to the pitch this year after an All-Big Ten Freshman campaign in 2024. Grabfelder is the Nittany Lions top returning scorer and is expected to have a big season on the score sheet. Phillip comes to Happy Valley after three seasons with the University of Evansville, where the forward totaled 15 goals, including five game-winners and five assists. He guided his team to a 2024 NCAA Tournament appearance after winning the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament and was selected as the tournament MVP. In 2023, he was honored by the United Soccer Coaches with All-Region honors.
WHAT WE GOT BACK
Penn State returns 75% of its goal scoring from last year, including two of its top three scorers in junor Caden Grabfelder and senior Matthew Hederson. The Blue & White also welcomes back 73% of its overall scoring, with returning assist leader Christian Dionne tallying four in the last campaign.
Scouting Syracuse
Nothing Rhymes With Orange
Under the command of 16th-season head coach Ian McIntyre, Syracuse boasts a 140-100-50 record.
The Orange opened 2025 with a narrow loss to UConn, 1-0. A score in the 17th minute by the Huskies proved to be the difference in the contest.
Syracuse got back in the win column in the second contest, earning a 1-0 road win at Loyola (Md.), a team PSU met in the preseason.
Syracuse defender Chimere Omeze was named to the 2025 ACC Men’s Soccer Preseason Watch List. He started all 16 matches in last year’s campaign where he scored three goals and added an assist.
STORY OF THE SERIES
Penn State boasts a 31-4-6 lead over the Orange in the all-time series.
Though the Nittany Lions lead the all-time series, the last three meetings have left both squads with a 1-1-1 record.
The last meeting, coming in 2023, was one of the most notable game in PSU history and a contender for game of the year that season. The Nittany Lions took then-ranked No. 1 Syracuse to the wire, forcing a 1-1 tie.
The game remained scoreless for over 88 mintues of game clock, but Caden Gradfelder, then a freshman for the Nittany Lions, broke the drought with a score off assists from Alex Stevenson and Freddie Bell.
Syracuse responded with an immediate answer, scoring just six seconds later to force the tie.
In the 2023 match, five of the Nittany Lions to get minutes are still playing professional soccer today.
Follow the Nittany Lions
Visit GoPSUSports.com for more information on Penn State men’s soccer. Fans can keep up to date with the Nittany Lion men’s soccer team on X and Instagram @PennStateMSOC, in addition to the team’s Facebook page at /PennStateMensSoccer.