Men’s Soccer Falters in Final Match of Road Trip

Sunday, October 7

Spartanburg, S.C.

1:00 p.m.

University of North Florida

-380, 020 ASun

USC Upstate

-361, 110 ASun

Team	1	2	Final F
North Florida	1	0	1
USC Upstate	2	2	4

Photo by: Todd Drexler

10/7/2012 4:21:00 PM | Men's Soccer

Box Score

By: North Florida Athletics

Boxscore (pdf)

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The University of North Florida men's soccer team concluded the final match of a two-match Atlantic Sun Conference road swing with a 4-1 loss to USC Upstate at County University Soccer Stadium in Spartanburg, S.C.

The Ospreys led 1-0 early in the match, but two goals before the half put the hosts out front. The Spartans added two additional goals in the second half to earn the victory.

Offensively, North Florida finished the match with 12 shots, including eight shots on goal. Mauricio Valderruten led all UNF players with five shots including four shots on goal. The sophomore netted his third goal of the season in the match. Valderruten currently leads the team in goals scored and points.

Freshman Alex Morrell and sophomore Casey Caronis each added multiple shots on the afternoon. Morrell registered three shots, while Caronis notched two. Both of Caronis' shots came on goal, while Morrell and Camilo Garcia each had a shot on goal in the conest.

Defensively, Kyle Nasta played all 90 minutes for the Ospreys between the goalposts. The true freshman continued to increase his save total, adding nine in the match. Nasta has recorded 62 saves in eight matches for the Ospreys for a 7.75 saves per match clip.

North Florida was the first team to scratch the scoreboard in the match, finding the back of the net in the ninth minute. Greg Crowell directed a 2-on-1 break way for the Ospreys. The senior crossed the ball to Valderruten who sent it from the right side to the far post. The goal was the third of the season for the sophomore and put UNF ahead, 1-0.

USC Upstate responded in the 23rd minute. The Spartans' Tim Bailey crossed the ball to Dave Musambi to the middle of the field. Musambi laid the ball over to Dustin Bailey who scored into the left net to tie the match at 1-1.

The Spartans took the lead just before halftime with a goal in the 43rd minute. Upstate's Marvin Schmiege played a through ball to D. Bailey who played the ball forward to Tevin Gage. Gage took the shot and put it in the upper-90 to give the hometeam the 2-1 edge heading into intermission.

The two teams played almost equal in the first period. At the half, USC Upstate held a slight 8-to-7 edge in shots. Six of the seven shots for North Florida were on goal, while seven of eight shots for the Spartans came on goal. Both UNF and Upstate notched five saves in the opening half.

USC Upstate added a pair of insurance goals in the second half. In the 51st minute, Musambi scored a goal to make the score 3-1 and 10 minutes later, Gage netted his second goal of the match to provide the final margin of victory.

The Ospreys countered with five shots in the second stanza, including a pair of shots on goal, but were unable to break the plane to mount the comeback.

North Florida returns to action Friday, Oct. 12, as the Ospreys welcome Atlantic Sun Conference newcomers Northern Kentucky to Hodges Stadium for UNF's first home A-Sun match of the season. Kickoff between the Ospreys and the Norse is slated for 7:00 p.m.