- Despite striking first on Friday night, University of Southern Indiana Men's Soccer fell 4-1 to Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee.
The Screaming Eagles (0-4-3) could not hold on to an early 1-0 lead against the Bruins (3-3-1) after being outshot 18-5 throughout Friday's match.
Sophomore midfielder Brian Novillo scored his second goal of the season in the 26th minute on a penalty kick. He is the first Screaming Eagle to register multiple goals this season.
USI and Belmont were scoreless through the first 23 minutes, with both teams combining for five shots and two saves. Novillo broke the stalemate in the 26th minute by converting the penalty kick into the bottom right-hand corner. The Bruins responded with two quick goals within a minute and a half of each other to close out the half with a 2-1 lead.
The Screaming Eagles started the second half strong, taking the first shot of the half. However, the Bruins responded quickly, extending their lead with two more goals in the middle of the second stanza. USI had two more scoring chances later in the game but could not capitalize to cut into the three-goal deficit.
USAF ACADEMY, Colo. - The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Vaqueros men’s soccer team fell 3-1 to the Air Force (AFA) Falcons at Cadet Soccer Stadium and Holaday Athletic Center Friday.
Trailing 2-0, the Vaqueros (2-2-1) got on the board with a penalty kick strike from senior captain Mouhamed Pouye. Pouye now leads the Vaqueros in goals with three on the season and points with seven.
Pouye’s goal came inside the Holaday Athletic Center after the match was moved to the indoor facility in the 65th minute due to inclement weather.
The Falcons (1-3-3) got on the board first as Doran Farrell scored with a solid strike off a pass from Braedon Gehring in the 21st minute. The Falcons tacked on to their lead with goals in the 53rd minute from Logan Zaaand the 76th minute by Quinn Muderiak.
Senior Malang Mandiang put the first shot on goal in the match, seizing a solid opportunity in the fourth minute, but it was saved by Falcons’ goalkeeper Hunter Anderson. From there, the Falcons applied significant pressure, thwarting any attempts inside the offensive third from the Vaqueros.
On the other side of the pitch, Air Force kept UTRGV on its heels, accumulating 10 shots in the frame while the Vaqueros only generated four shots. UTRGV goalkeeper Conrad Knight kept the match close with four saves in the first half.
The second half started slow for both offenses, keeping possession within the middle third before the Falcons converted for their second goal of the night.
Once moving indoors, the Vaqueros began applying pressure, generating back-to-back corner kicks in the 70thand 71st minutes. Pouye converted a penalty kick in the 74th minute to cut the deficit to 2-1.
The Vaqueros forced Anderson to make a pair of saves in the waning minutes of the match but could not convert as the Falcons held on for the win.
Yellow cards were given to sophomore Dylan Hernandez, Pouye, and fifth-year Eduardo De Oliveira. Meanwhile, Air Force also received three yellow cards, two to student-athletes Farrell and Tucker Kern, and one to the coaching staff on the bench.
The Falcons outshot the Vaqueros 14-11 with a 7-4 advantage on goal. The Falcons also generated seven corner kicks to the Vaqueros’ six. Knight ended the match with a career-high four saves while Anderson tallied three.
FLORIDA GULF COAST 3, UIW 0
SAN ANTONIO - The University of the Incarnate Word men's soccer team (1-4-1) fell to Florida Gulf Coast (4-4) in a 3-0 decision Friday night at Benson Stadium.
FGCU controlled the match from the beginning, scoring in the sixth minute on its first shot of the game. The Eagles continued to maintain possession and doubled their lead in the 25th minute. Knox Hicks recorded UIW's first and only shot of the opening half in the 28th minute.
FGCU took a 2-0 advantage into halftime while holding an 8-to-1 edge in shots.
The Eagles struck again just five minutes into the second half to extend their lead to 3-0. The Cardinals were limited to one shot after the break, with Rodrigo Chavira recording the attempt.