When Liam Callahan came back into the Syracuse rotation on Saturday, everything felt as it had through the first 12 games of the season — until he became exhausted.

The conditioning that had boosted his, and Syracuse’s, strong defensive start to the season was failing him.

“It’s crazy how quick that goes away,” Callahan said. “I came into the game Saturday, and it was pretty obvious how I wasn’t at my physical peak that I usually was in the middle of the season. It’s just a matter of working back to that.”

After missing three games in two weeks with a sprained right ankle — a stretch in which Syracuse allowed four goals compared to just two with him starting — Callahan subbed on against North Carolina State on Oct. 25, making his return sooner than he expected. SU head coach Ian McIntyre said he might sub Callahan on again when the No. 3 Orange (13-2-1, 4-2-1 Atlantic Coast) hosts Boston College (5-7-3, 1-5-1) in its regular season finale on Friday at 7 p.m. at SU Soccer Stadium.

Korab Syla and Chris Makowski manned the left side while Callahan was out, but Callahan is working to get his fitness back to full strength and regain his starting job.

“Getting him back healthy is very important to the success of our team, and he knows that,” said goalkeeper Alex Bono. “We have decent guys coming off the bench, we have replacements…but for Liam to get back, it’s important for us.”

In the first half of Syracuse’s 3-1 win against Wake Forest on Oct. 10, Callahan was taken out on a sliding tackle and said he felt a popping in his right ankle. He had previously missed time with a dislocated right ankle in 2012 at Villanova and was worried the injury had resurfaced.

When the Syracuse trainers sat down to explain the technicalities of the injury in the days afterward, Callahan said he zoned out, only focused on a timetable for his return.

At first the doctors told him it might be a high-ankle sprain, which would have kept him out for a longer period of time, but it was just a normal ankle sprain.

“When I’m on my own sometimes, I wish I was out there,” Callahan said. “When I’m watching practice, I’m like, ‘Jeez, this sucks, I wish I could play…’ But it’s nothing new to me.”

To rehab, Callahan met with the trainers every day for an hour. He’d ice the ankle to help the swelling go down. After he started walking and building his strength again he tried to balance on one leg and do calf raises. And once that ended, he got back to the field, starting to build up his fitness.

“He needs a little bit of time, it’s great to see him out there against N.C. State, to get him some minutes,” McIntyre said. “The more comfortable and training he gets, the better he will be.”

With Callahan back, Syracuse figures to be better too. McIntyre said both Syla and Makowski did an admirable job filling in for the injured starter, but Callahan being left-footed gives him an advantage on the left side.

And with Syracuse heading into the home stretch of its best season in program history, one of the players that got the team there is looking to arrive at full strength as the postseason does.

“Liam has one of the best left foots on the team, he has one of the best serves on the team,” Bono said. “For Liam to get back, and for us to have those types of weapons on both sides of the field, it’s important for us.”

Published on October 30, 2014 at 12:15 am

Contact Sam: sblum@syr.edu | @SamBlum3