The Daily OrangeSyracuse looks to repeat as Mayor's Cup champs with Big East play looming
By Andrew Meola
Posted: 9/10/09, 9:27 PM EST Section: Sports
After the Syracuse men's soccer team won the Mayor's Cup in Oneonta last year, head coach Dean Foti said that Big East conference play is the true "bread and butter" of the season.
Having to defend the cup this weekend has not changed his mind.
"Everything that we do in the non-conference schedule is in preparation for the Big East season," Foti said. "This [weekend] gives us two more opportunities to identify what it is that we need to clean up and make it better before we get to the Big East schedule."
The Orange (1-2) travels to Oneonta this weekend to defend its Mayor's Cup title, which the team won for the first time last season. Syracuse will face Loyola (Md.) Friday and Bucknell Sunday on the Hartwick campus.
During the last few seasons, Syracuse has racked up several wins in non-conference games but has struggled when faced with a stretch of tough conference foes. This season hasn't stuck with the trend. The Orange has suffered two tough road losses to in-state opponents Binghamton and Colgate, putting the team in a precarious position heading into this weekend.
Foti said he chooses to look at the two losses as an indication of what his team needs to improve upon before Big East play begins.
"We still play the games with the same purpose in mind, it's just that we played two NCAA level teams at their place," Foti said. "For us, we learned some valuable lessons at both those places, and those are the lessons you need to learn before you get into the Big East games."
Foti said the team has been effective at finding opportunities to score, but defensive organization and limiting opponents' scoring chances are still areas of weakness.
Pushing the panic button at this point in the season might be a bit premature, but history is not on the Orange's side. Syracuse has not had a winning record in Big East play since 1999. Repeating as champions of the Mayor's Cup tournament could build some momentum for the team heading into Big East play, which begins Sept. 18 against Seton Hall.
Having to defend the cup this weekend has not changed his mind.
"Everything that we do in the non-conference schedule is in preparation for the Big East season," Foti said. "This [weekend] gives us two more opportunities to identify what it is that we need to clean up and make it better before we get to the Big East schedule."
The Orange (1-2) travels to Oneonta this weekend to defend its Mayor's Cup title, which the team won for the first time last season. Syracuse will face Loyola (Md.) Friday and Bucknell Sunday on the Hartwick campus.
During the last few seasons, Syracuse has racked up several wins in non-conference games but has struggled when faced with a stretch of tough conference foes. This season hasn't stuck with the trend. The Orange has suffered two tough road losses to in-state opponents Binghamton and Colgate, putting the team in a precarious position heading into this weekend.
Foti said he chooses to look at the two losses as an indication of what his team needs to improve upon before Big East play begins.
"We still play the games with the same purpose in mind, it's just that we played two NCAA level teams at their place," Foti said. "For us, we learned some valuable lessons at both those places, and those are the lessons you need to learn before you get into the Big East games."
Foti said the team has been effective at finding opportunities to score, but defensive organization and limiting opponents' scoring chances are still areas of weakness.
Pushing the panic button at this point in the season might be a bit premature, but history is not on the Orange's side. Syracuse has not had a winning record in Big East play since 1999. Repeating as champions of the Mayor's Cup tournament could build some momentum for the team heading into Big East play, which begins Sept. 18 against Seton Hall.
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