Puddles and mud streaked the right side of the field at Koskinen Stadium, effectively torn up from about two hours of soccer played on the wet surface.

A layer of rainwater coated SU head coach Ian McIntyre’s black jacket, players’ steps splashed water and the ball halted when rolling through the grass sometimes.

SU (7-2-1, 2-1-1 Atlantic Coast) used the conditions to its advantage, scoring on a pair of deflections and earning its second ACC win against Duke (4-4-2, 0-3-1), 3-1. Julian Buescher was involved on all three goals, and Hendrik Hilpert started in place of Austin Aviza at goalie. McIntyre said Hilpert has been training hard and his start was a way of getting him a game in net.

“I thought we created some chances, but on a tough night tonight, for defenders and goalkeepers, you try to put quality services into the penalty area,” McIntyre said.

Buescher broke the 0-0 tie with a goal 25:37 into the game, his third of the season. Less than 20 minutes later, Buescher lined up a corner kick and booted the ball into the 18-yard box. The corner knocked off a defender and flew into the net, counting as an own goal.

Up 2-0 at half, SU had a cushion. Buescher effectively put the game away when Liam Callahan’s shot from outside the box smacked off of Buescher and into the Duke net less than a minute into the second half.

“That third goal allowed us to manage the game,” McIntyre said.

Hilpert, a freshman from Germany, played in place of Aviza, who had started all of Syracuse’s other nine games. Hilpert dove and stopped a shot destined for the top left corner of the net for his only save of the night.

The ball bounded out of the end line, setting up a corner kick. A Duke player was fouled in the box on the ensuing service, giving the Blue Devils a penalty kick. Aviza also faced a penalty kick in his first collegiate start.

Duke midfielder Zach Mathers buried the penalty kick in the bottom left corner as Hilpert dove right. The sequence yielded the only shots on goal Hilpert faced.

The Orange play Albany in a 7 p.m. matchup on Tuesday at SU Soccer Stadium.

Published on October 2, 2015 at 10:42 pm

Contact Chris: cjlibona@syr.edu | @ChrisLibonati