Skip To Main Content
Skip To Main Content

University of North Florida Athletics

Rentaro Miyakawa goal
1
Winner North Florida Osprey (3-7-4, 0-5-1)
0
Mercer Bears (5-4-7, 1-1-2)
Winner
North Florida Osprey
(3-7-4, 0-5-1)
1
Final
0
Mercer Bears
(5-4-7, 1-1-2)
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
North Florida Osprey 0 1 1
Mercer Bears 0 0 0

Game Recap: Men's Soccer |

Men's Soccer Closes Non-Conference With Road Win

Rentaro Miyakawa Breaks Scoreless Tie in 77th Minute at Mercer

MACON, Ga. - North Florida men's soccer (3-7-4) stayed resilient on the road with a 77th-minute game-winning goal from Rentaro Miyakawa in what was the only score of the game for a 1-0 victory against Mercer (5-4-7) on Tuesday afternoon.

The Ospreys turned in their first shutout victory of the season in the non-conference finale. UNF held strong in a defensive game on the road, which allowed them to break though late in Macon.

GOALS

77' | Rentaro Miyakawa (Owen Cunha) - UNF


HOW IT HAPPENED

  • Micah Gun made a great play in the 15th minute to clear a shot inside the box to keep a standstill score of 0-0.
  • Both teams exchanged shots on goal in the 30th minute, but each were saved by its keeper counterparts.
  • Ospreys had another chance to score late in the second half, but Angus Taylor was just a touch late on the cross to go into the half scoreless.
  • The second half continued with strong defense, as there was only one shot on goal attempted through the first 20 minutes coming back from break.
  • Owen Cunha had an opportunity off a cross from outside the box, but was misplaced on the header attempt on goal.
  • Another great play as made by Gun in the net to keep two tries from going in goal for Mercer.
  • UNF finally broke through in the 77th minute after a cross from Owen Cunha leaked through the Bears' defense and went right to Rentaro Miyakawa for the Ospreys' goal.
  • Nick Kishchenko made a spectacular play on defense in the final seconds with a header on the goal line to preserve a 1-0 win on the road for UNF.


RECORDS

North Florida | 3-7-4
Mercer | 5-4-7


QUICK KICKS

  • Miyakawa earned the first goal of his Osprey career as the sixth unique scorer for UNF this season.
  • Cunha turned in his second assist joining Joaquin Acuna, Braden Masker and Kishchenko with multiple assists on the year.
  • Ospreys earned first win since Georgia Southern on Sept. 8, to finish non-conference play with a 3-2-3 record.
  • Both teams were held to less than 10 total shots, as UNF cashed in scoring on one of only two shots on goal attempted the entire game.
  • Steven Barrier received the first start of his collegiate career, while Niklas Schaffner saw the field for the first time this season.
  • Micah Gun was also back in the lineup as starting keeper recording three saves for the fourth time in 2023.


FROM THE MOUTH OF MARINATOS

"So proud of the group. All of the credit to them. They believed as a group by halftime that they could win this game and they did it together. It's our first shutout of the season as well. We will go home and look to prepare for our last regular season game against Central Arkansas."  
-- head coach Derek Marinatos


UP NEXT

The Ospreys will close out their season in the final weekend of conference play on the road at Central Arkansas Saturday, Oct. 28, at 1 p.m. ET, in Conway, Ark.
Print Friendly Version