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Syracuse (4-0-1, 1-0-0 Atlantic Coast) climbed eight spots to No. 16 in the weekly United Soccer Coaches poll following a 1-0 win over then-No. 22 Notre Dame (1-2-1, 0-1 ACC) on Saturday. The ranking is the Orange’s second highest of the season after they reached No. 15 two weeks ago.

SU earned its first conference win and second win over a ranked opponent this season against the Fighting Irish, who reached the 2021 College Cup before losing to Clemson in the semifinal. Giona Leibold scored the lone goal of the game with the assist from Nathan Opoku. Opoku played a low-driven ball to the left side of the 18 before Leibold slotted it past the near post into the net. SU also outshot ND 22-3.

In recent years, the Orange haven’t reached the top-25. Prior to two weeks ago, Syracuse’s last national ranking came in 2018, and it received zero votes in the 2022 USC preseason poll. Nationally, the Orange are tied for No. 1 in shutout percentage (.800) and are fifth in save percentage (.933).

Following Tuesday’s game against Niagara, Syracuse faces one of its toughest tests of the season on Friday at No. 1 Clemson, the defending national champions. In 2021, SU upset the Tigers 2-0 at home with goals from Deandre Kerr and Manel Busquets, both of whom have since departed from the team.