Philadelphia Union Academy duo leaving Syracuse

A pair of Syracuse players who spent time together in the Philadelphia Union Academy are leaving the program in search of playing time.

Midfielder Morgan Hackworth, is transferring to Akron, according to TopDrawerSoccer.com, after making eight appearances and one start over the past two seasons for the Orange.

Midfielder/defender Chris Gomez will be moving closer to home to Lafayette, he recently posted on social media.

Hackworth, the son of U.S. U17 head coach John Hackworth, captained the Union U18 team in 2014-15 and made 48 appearances for the U18 and U16 teams over his two seasons in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy.

Gomez, a Jamison, Pa. native, never saw the field in a regular season match for the Orange and will have three years eligibility remaining at Lafayette. The Central Bucks East grad played for the Union U18 team for one season, making 26 starts in 2013-14 before returning to Players Development Academy for his senior year.

Gomez will join former Central Bucks East star Evan Vare with the Leopards. Vare led the team in goals with seven as a freshman in the fall for a team that finished 7-8-3.

Hackworth, meanwhile, will join an Akron program that, like Syracuse, made the College Cup in 2015. The Zips were 13-6-3 in 2016 and lost to Indiana in the second round of the NCAA Tournament after knocking out Villanova.