Ospreys let Dolphins squeak by

Sunday, October 26

Jacksonville, Fla.

7 p.m.

University of North Florida

Jacksonville

Junior Ryan Billings took two shots and played 49 minutes

10/26/2008 9:46:04 PM | Men's Soccer

UNF hosts Lipscomb and Belmont this weekend

By: Adam Jonson, UNF Athletics

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The 2008 men's soccer SunTrust River City Rumble match provided plenty of exciting action on Sunday night when the University of North Florida fell, 1-0, to cross-town rival Jacksonville in Atlantic Sun Conference play.

UNF (7-9-0, 3-4-0 A-Sun) kept the Dolphins off the scoreboard for almost the entire first half, but JU's Ramak Niakan Safi found the back of the net for the fifth time this season with a little less than two minutes remaining before halftime. Phillip Meyner started the play with a cross from outside the left side of the box and Niakan Safi headed it into the top left of the net.

“Even though we were under pressure most of the first half, it was still disappointing to give up a goal so close to halftime,” UNF head coach Ray Bunch said. “I felt like we could have performed better in the first half, and we seemed much more even in the second half.”

JU (9-7-0, 6-1-0) outshot the Ospreys 10-3 in the first half with two shots on goal. UNF fired one shot on frame in the first half, which came off the foot of freshman Evan Brandsdorfer and was the only Osprey shot on goal in the match.

“We played a better game in the second half, but JU played extremely well,” Bunch said. “With the physicality of the match, I thought it would come down to one goal, and they netted it.”

JU fired six shots in the second half, and UNF senior keeper Tony Restino saved all three that were on goal, finishing with five saves in the contest. The Ospreys notched three shots in the second half, but none were on target. Both teams were called for 13 total fouls, five in the first half and eight in the second for both squads.

Junior Ryan Billings saw 49 minutes of action and fired two of UNF's six shots. Sophomore Adam O'Neill also fired two shots in 90 minutes of action.

Three home matches remain for the Ospreys this season, with action returning to Hodges Stadium on Halloween night, Friday, Oct. 31, when Lipscomb visits at 7 p.m. UNF hosts Belmont two days later and Coastal Carolina on Nov. 8 to wrap up the season.