Golden Goal Lifts Ospreys Past Bears

Thursday, October 21

Jacksonville, Fla.

7 p.m.

University of North Florida

1 (OT)

Mercer

10/21/2010 10:17:31 PM | Men's Soccer

By: UNF Athletics

Boxscore

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – North Florida's Theo Fulger launched a ball from halfway between the goalie box and midfield and the ball sailed past the Mercer defender, giving the Ospreys a 2-1 overtime victory over the Bears on Thursday night at Hodges Stadium. The “golden goal” was the first match-winning goal of the season for the junior defender.

With the win, the Ospreys improve to 3-8-0 overall and 2-4-0 in Atlantic Sun Conference play. The win also gives UNF three points in the A-Sun standings. The Ospreys now have six points in the A-Sun standings. Entering the night, Belmont, Campbell, Jacksonville and Mercer each had six points and were tied for fourth place in the league.

The overtime victory was the first win for North Florida in overtime since the Ospreys defeated East Tennessee State, 2-1, on Oct. 3, 2008, in Johnson City, Tenn. The last overtime victory for UNF at Hodges Stadium was a 3-2 victory over Gardner-Webb on Sept. 7, 2008.

North Florida took 10 shots on the night including eight shots on goal. Eight shots on goal is a season high for the Ospreys. UNF outshot the Bears 4-to-1 in the first half, but Mercer recorded 12 shots in the second half compared to just five by North Florida. The Ospreys needed just one shot in the extra stanza as Fulger's shot lifted UNF to a victory.

UNF won the battle of corner kicks out doing the Bears 6-to-3. Both teams were charged with 16 fouls and a pair of yellow cards. Mercer was called for six offsides penalties while North Florida was not charged with any offsides calls.

Junior goalkeeper Andrew Calise earned his second victory of the season. He recorded five saves on the night. In the first half, Calise kept the Bears off of the scoreboard as he dove and blocked a penalty kick attempt by Mercer. After just one save in the first half, Calise recorded four saves in the second half. The victory was Calise's 10th of his UNF career, tying the junior with Justin Kovacsik (2000) and Mikael Faltin (1998-99) for fourth on the North Florida career victories list. He is just one victory shy of tying Stefan Krause (1992) with 11 wins.

The Ospreys started the scoring in the first half with an Adam O'Neill goal on a penalty kick. The goal was O'Neill's team-leading third goal of the season. For his career, he now has six penalty kick goals and 24 total goals.

The Bears evened the score in the second half. Mercer's Taylor Krek passed a ball up to Philip Thoren and beat the UNF defense. The ball slid by a diving UNF defender and past the keeper for the match-tying goal.

The UNF defense was able to fight off a late barrage by Mercer and force overtime. The Ospreys needed just over two minutes in overtime to secure the victory on Fulger's first goal of the season.

North Florida plays Campbell on Saturday, Oct. 23 at 5 p.m. in the home finale for the Ospreys. The match will serve as Senior Day and UNF's two seniors will be honored prior to the match.