One nice thing about sport is the finality and simplicity. Two teams fight over a period of time, and the outcome is easy to determine – winner, loser.

That’s why no one likes ties. As the saying goes – a tie is like kissing your sister.

Well, when it’s on the road, the Syracuse men’s soccer team will gladly pucker up.

Being on the road has been tough for the Orangemen this season, as their 0-5-2 record away from Syracuse Soccer Stadium shows.

Syracuse, still in search of its first Big East win this season, hopes to steal one from Georgetown (5-7-2, 2-5-0 Big East) this Saturday in Washington D.C.

The Orangemen (2-6-5, 0-3-4) have actually scored six goals away from home compared to five at home but still remain winless on the road. They came close in early September, managing to score two goals against St. Bonaventure, but the Orangemen ended up leaving Olean with a tie after two overtimes.

Syracuse did the same Wednesday night, matching Rutgers 1-1. This is an improvement for Syracuse, considering Rutgers is ranked No. 13 in the nation.

In Piscataway, N.J., sophomore goalie Alim Karim matched his career high with 12 saves and held the Scarlet Knights scoreless through the first 77 minutes of the game. Rutgers’ first strike came when Joe Gros kicked his 11th goal of the season into the open net.

Karim refused to allow Rutgers another goal, though, throughout the remainder of regulation and in both overtime periods. The Orangemen avoided disaster twice in overtime thanks to a great play by senior Chris Fehrle and an interference call that waved off what looked like a game-winning goal for Rutgers.

The Syracuse men’s soccer team refused to comment to The Daily Orange.

The Orangemen will have to play with the same intensity as they did against Rutgers if they hope to compete with Georgetown. Hoya goalkeeper Tim Hogan will be ready for anything Syracuse brings after he held Villanova scoreless in a 2-0 victory Wednesday.

SU will have to control the ball because Georgetown surpasses the Orangemen in almost every offensive category. Syracuse averages .77 goals per game, whereas the Hoyas have averaged 1.33. The Hoyas also boast a better shot percentage than the Orangemen (.121-.75).

It’s another tough game against SU’s sixth Big East opponent in a row.

‘There’s no break in our schedule,’ SU head coach Dean Foti said Sept. 24 after a loss to Hartwick. ‘We don’t have a crummy team to play. We have another game on the road. It’s not going to be easy.’

None of the road games have been easy for the Orangemen and tomorrow will be no different. There are glimpses of hope, though, considering the Orangemen are now taking top ranked teams into overtime rather than losing like the beginning of the season to teams like Hartwick and Adelphi.

Many coaches feel the pain of SU’s road woes. A winning record away from home is tough to find in the Big East.

‘The difference is playing at home and on the road,’ West Virginia head coach Mike Seabolt said. ‘On the road you hope to get one goal and win 1-0. Away, all you can do is hope for the best.’

Published on October 16, 2003 at 12:00 pm