SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Coming off a two-goal performance on Friday night, sophomore Akil DeFreitas netted another and added an assist on Sunday, while sophomore Adam O’Neill found the back of the net twice, giving the University of North Florida men’s soccer team its second straight Atlantic Sun Conference win, this time a 3-0 decision over USC Upstate.
“We came out much stronger in the first half today than we have been so far this season,” UNF head coach Ray Bunch said. “That has been our biggest downfall, but today we did a much better job.”
UNF (5-5-0, 2-0-0 A-Sun) broke Sunday’s scoreless tie in the 32nd minute when Akil DeFreitas scored his fourth goal of the season. Senior goalkeeper Tony Restino assisted on the goal with a through ball to DeFreitas, who beat Spartan keeper Patrick Regna for what proved to be the game-winner.
Upstate (1-9-0, 0-2-0) took eight total shots in the match, but managed only three on goal. The Spartans took eight corner kicks compared to three by the Ospreys.
A little less than four minutes after halftime, O’Neill took a pass from DeFreitas on a two-on-one breakaway and scored his third goal of the season. In the 85th minute, O’Neill scored again when senior Mikhail Awai stole the ball and made a pass into the middle of the box, where O’Neill netted it from eight yards. O’Neill and DeFreitas lead the UNF squad with four goals apiece.
Restino posted his second shutout of the season, making three saves in the contest, including a spectacular save with the score at 2-0 to keep the Spartans from cutting the lead to one goal. Restino now has 49 saves this season.
UNF has opened its A-Sun slate with a 2-0 record for two years running, but this season, did so playing away from home.
“Last year, we won our first two but lost our third match,” Bunch said. “We need to keep the focus we had at the start of today’s match and keep the streak going.”
The Ospreys will try to advance their streak in conference action, hosting Campbell on Thursday, Oct. 9 and Mercer on Saturday, Oct. 11, both at 7 p.m. Hodges Stadium will host four consecutive days of soccer – two men’s matches and two women’s matches.