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Over the summer, Syracuse goalkeeper Tomas Hut played in eight-on-eight small-sided games to improve his reflexes and foot skills. The work led to him earning the starting goalkeeper spot for the Orange after not playing last season.

Entering the first round of the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament at Wake Forest Wednesday, Hut was third in the conference with 52 saves. In the previous match, a 2-0 upset win over then-No.3 Pitt on Nov. 1, he registered five stops and a shutout against the third-most potent attack in the ACC.

Once No. 12 seed Syracuse (7-7-3, 2-4-2 ACC) took the lead on a 16th-minute goal versus No. 5 seed Wake Forest (9-4-5, 4-2-2 ACC) Wednesday, the Demon Deacons strafed Hut’s goal repeatedly, managing 23 shots. Despite SU losing 2-1 on a pair of late finishes, Hut registered a career-high six saves.

“If you’re going to come down to a place like this, you’re going to need your goalkeeper to make some saves,” Syracuse head coach Ian McIntyre said. “And he did tonight; unfortunately, we needed him to.”

Hut’s first test came in the fourth minute. Wake Forest’s Jose Perez blasted a free kick from the left wing on frame and Hut tipped the dipping ball to his right for a corner.

During the past summer, Hut practiced at Advanced Physical and Technical Training, an indoor facility near his hometown of Metuchen, New Jersey. His coach at Ap2T, Dan Nigro, emphasized that Hut improved his skills with his feet and strength amid fast-paced play — something he demonstrated on a reaction save from point-blank range in the 34th minute Wednesday.

The Demon Deacons worked the ball out to the left wing to Travis Smith Jr., who sent a penetrating pass to Ryan Belal behind SU’s backline. Belal drove to the end line, where he sent a pass across the face of the goal. Wake Forest’s Jeffrey White cut in front of Syracuse’s Chimere Omeze to pounce on the cross on the six-yard line.

Hut moved to his left across the goal, trying to anticipate White’s shot. But White directed his attempt to the bottom left corner — Hut’s right. With his 6-foot-3 frame, Hut used his trailing right leg to kick the ball clear of danger.

“He was epic,” McIntyre said of Hut. “He’s been that way. A real presence for us.”

Wake Forest forced Hut into action again four minutes later. The Demon Deacons floated an aerial ball to White in the attacking third. White then fed Bo Cummins down the right wing. Cummins fired a shot on frame from an acute angle. Hut again produced a kick save to maintain SU’s 1-0 advantage heading into halftime.

In the second half, the Demon Deacons produced 14 shots. Hut managed three more saves.

In the 59th minute, three first-time passes found WF in on goal, but the final ball was off. Omeze tried to shield the ball and allow Hut to gather it, but Wake Forest’s Colin Thomas snuck up behind him and notched a steal. Thomas then cranked a bid one-on-one with Hut that was denied by the keeper.

Wake Forest eventually got one past Hut on a penalty kick. After Sam Layton was adjudged to have committed a handball in the box in the 70th minute following a video review, Cooper Flax came up against Hut from 12 yards out.

Flax sent his shot down the center of the goal and Hut dove right, leveling the game 1-1 with 20 minutes to play.

“We have no regrets, but yes, that changed (the game),” McIntyre said. “We’ve been unfortunate with a couple of VAR (Video Assistant Referee) decisions this year, and this one went against us and then obviously the momentum (changed).”

Wake Forest rode the momentum to gain the lead in the 83rd minute. Dylan Borso chipped a cross into the area and Smith Jr. headed the finish into the top left corner. Hut was frozen in place, unable to make a play on the well-placed effort.

As Syracuse exited the ACC Tournament at the first hurdle, it could spell the end of its season and the collegiate careers for many — including Huts.

He started his college career with two years at Army before transferring to Syracuse last season. When he first arrived, he didn’t have a scholarship. Still, he became an indispensable piece for SU as a senior this season.

He beat out returners Jahiem Wickham and Jason Smith, the two goalkeepers who split time in net last season, and started all 17 of SU’s matches. He has logged four shutouts and was named ACC Defensive Player of the Week early in the campaign.

Though Syracuse couldn’t hold onto the result to extend its season against Wake Forest, McIntyre said Hut did his part to give SU a chance to advance.

“We were a short distance away from winning this game,” McIntyre said.

Published on November 6, 2024 at 11:33 pm

Contact Nicholas: njalumka@syr.edu