Last season, Syracuse had already lost three overtime games by Oct. 4.

The Orange ended up going 1-5-1 in overtime on the season, a microcosm of the team’s inability to win close games throughout the year.

This year, though, the Orange’s first overtime game didn’t come until Wednesday night, when Syracuse (9-3, 2-1) beat Rutgers 2-1 on a header by Lars Muller two minutes into extra time. Syracuse will look to carry that momentum into its game against Louisville at the SU Soccer Stadium Saturday night at 7 p.m.

Head coach Ian McIntyre was relieved his team was able to come away with a win against Rutgers after dominating for much of the contest. He said the fact that SU hadn’t previously had any overtime games is a testament to the firepower of this year’s squad.

“It’s great that we haven’t had to go into overtime,” McIntyre said. “We’ve scored enough goals this year to win some games. Now we can take confidence by the fact that if and when we go into overtime we’ve got enough quality to win the game.”

The sudden death format of college soccer bodes for a frenzied, hectic overtime session. One goal gives the winning team three points, while the losing team comes away without any points. If neither team has scored after two ten-minute periods, the game ends in a tie.

Wednesday night, the ten-minute intermission between regulation and overtime was cut short with 1:20 remaining. Both teams were ready to go and came out with intensity and urgency, making for a fast-paced style of play.

“It’s a bit of a crapshoot,” McIntyre said. “The good thing about overtime is that when you score the goal, that’s it. The game’s over and you pack up your bags and go home.”

Tyler Hilliard said overtime is all about making the extra effort and outworking the other team to get the decisive goal.

“You run for an hour and a half and it’s basically which team wants it more,” Hilliard said. “It’s do or die. You score you win, you get scored on you lose. No one wants to tie. Both teams are going 100% trying to score a goal.”

McIntyre said SU put itself in a position to win in regulation Wednesday night. After Rutgers scored a game-tying goal in the 76^th minute and the game went into overtime, McIntyre encouraged his players to maintain focus.

“We just talk about utilizing restarts and the ability to make good decisions on the ball and ultimately just keep working hard,” he said.

McIntyre’s advice about focusing on restarts proved to be worthwhile, as Muller’s goal game off of a set piece from Jordan Murrell. All three goals Wednesday night came off restarts.

With the team’s overtime struggles in overtime last year in mind, Ted Cribley said the win over Rutgers gives Syracuse confidence going forward. Cribley said the team might have deflated after conceding a goal so late in the game last season.

He said this year’s team is a lot more resilient and that the overtime win is a testament to the improved mental toughness of this year’s squad.

“I don’t think we would have come back from that last season,” Cribley said. “I think we’re a lot more confident as a team now.”

McIntyre said that the suddenness of overtime is overwhelming either way, regardless of the outcome, and that he is fortunate his team came out on top against Rutgers.

“We’ve been on both sides of it” McIntyre said. “It’s the jubilation and the relief of winning the game. When you’re on the other end of it, it can be quite traumatic when you don’t have the opportunity to get back in the game.”

Published on October 5, 2012 at 4:45 pm

Contact Trevor: tbhass@syr.edu | @TrevorHass