No. 6 Syracuse (5-0, 1-0 Atlantic Coast) is off to its best start in 32 years. It’ll look to keep the ball rolling in Tuesday night’s matchup with Hofstra (2-2-1) at 7 p.m. at SU Soccer Stadium. Here’s everything you need to know before the matchup.

All-Time Series: Hofstra leads 1-0

Last time they played: Syracuse opened its regular season last year at Hofstra in a 2-1 loss. SU’s goal and one of Hofstra’s was scored off a penalty kick. The first penalty kick was set up after Syracuse’s Liam Callahan got a red card in the box. It led to both of Hofstra’s goals in a five minute span. After the game, head coach Ian McIntyre said, “It was kind of a double whammy to concede a penalty and have a man sent off. … We didn’t respond as well as we should have.”

The Hofstra Report: Hofstra’s two losses have come against ranked opponents. It had three players register double-digit points last year and all three of them return this year. The biggest change for the Pride is in goal. Last season’s starter, Patric Pray, started every game, finishing with 98 saves — third in the country. But Pray is gone, and in his absence, Hofstra has already tried two different options. Alex Ashton played well the first game but allowed five goals in just under 80 minutes against then-No. 22 Charlotte before being pulled. Leonard Arkhanhelskyi has started the last three games, allowing two goals to another ranked team in Boston College before pitching two shutouts.

How Syracuse beats Hofstra: Score early. Only one of the Pride’s four goals has come in the first half. Last year, just seven of its 32 goals were scored in the first half. Hofstra is a team that scores more as the game goes on, and the Orange can help itself if it takes an early lead and forces the Pride to try and catch up.

Stats to Know:

81 — Syracuse has scored 81 percent of the total goals scored in the games it has played. On the season the Orange has 13 goals while allowing just three.

78 — The percentage of goals (25-32) that Hofstra scored after the first 45 minutes last season.

7.2 — Syracuse averages 7.2 shots on goals per game, good for the 24th-best mark in the country.

Player to watch: Joseph Holland, Midfielder, No. 10

Holland scored the penalty kick against the Orange last season and led his team in both goals and assists. The senior midfielder was a second team All-American last year and figures to be the player that SU’s midfield will try and crack down on most.

Published on September 13, 2016 at 11:19 am

Contact Tomer: tdlanger@syr.edu | @tomer_langer