University of North Florida
Florida Gulf Coast
Eagles edge Ospreys with ease
10/17/2008 7:41:53 PM | Men's Soccer
UNF finishes its road schedule at Stetson on Sunday at 4 p.m.
FORT MYERS, Fla. – The University of North Florida men's soccer team entered Friday night's Atlantic Sun Conference match on a two-match winning streak but Florida Gulf Coast set the tone early, netting three goals in the first 22 minutes to pick up its first league win of the season, 7-1.
“We simply didn't show up to play,” UNF head coach Ray Bunch said. “They played very well and took chances, and they executed exactly they way they needed to.”
UNF (7-7-0, 3-2-0 A-Sun) managed just nine shots compared to 19 by the Eagles but did win the corner kick battle, 9-6. The lone Osprey goal came in the ninth minute when junior Steven Lowenthal headed a cross past Eagles' keeper Adam Glick. Lowenthal has scored three goals this season, including one in two consecutive matches.
FGCU (3-8-1, 1-3-0) took a 1-0 lead in the fourth minute on an own goal that deflected off a UNF defender. Less than four minutes later, the Eagles went up by two goals before eventually sporting a 4-1 lead at halftime.
In the second half, the Eagles picked up where they left off, netting a goal less than four minutes into the period. They added goals in the 57th and 60th minute to round out their night of scoring.
“We looked pretty lethargic tonight,” Bunch said. “We have played four matches in the past week and that may be a factor in our performance. But none-the-less, FGCU played wonderfully well.”
UNF closes its road schedule on Sunday with a 4 p.m. meeting against Stetson. The Ospreys close the season on a four-match homestand, beginning with a SunTrust River City Rumble against
