Box Score
LAKELAND â€" Three days after a shutout victory on the road over one team ranked #22, Florida Southern was at home to face another conference team that had moved into the same spot in the poll. The result was different, however, as the University of Tampa scored two goals in the 70th minute to defeat the Moccasins 2-0.
After combining for only six shots before halftime, the teams equaled that number in the first 15 minutes of the second half. Zach Hofstetter had the first for the Moccasins (7-3-1, 2-3 Sunshine State Conference), a strong attempt from the right wing that forced UT goalkeeper David Niepel into a save at the near post. That Spartans (9-4, 3-2) answered with two corner kicks and two shots in the 51st and 52nd minutes, immediately after Ricky Marton almost single-handedly snuffed out a scoring chance with two plays inside the penalty box.
J.D. Ruiz gave the Mocs their second strong scoring chance of the second half when he moved up from his left back position to collect a loose ball and fire a shot on goal from the top of the box. Niepel got in position to stop the low line drive, however, keeping the game scoreless with 25 minutes remaining.
What happened next proved to be more than Florida Southern could overcome. With the game still flowing back-and-forth, Tampa was able to work the ball into the box with Lister Warren, who got a pass to an open Brock Jennings on the left wing. Jennings hit a shot on goal that was saved at close range by Johan Jonsson, but Greg Sasser was there to collect the rebound and slide it inside the left post for a 1-0 Tampa lead.
Sasser was involved in the next goal too, which came just 24 seconds later when Florida Southern lost possession after the kickoff. Sasser ended up with the ball just off the end line on the right side of the penalty box, and when he tried sending it back to the center where more Spartans were converging, Ashley Holmes was forced into making a sliding attempt to stop it. The ball took an unfortunate new direction for the Moccasins and ended up in the back of the net.
“We played a great first half tonight but did not handle ourselves very well after Tampa scored the first goal,†said Moccasin coach Hugh Seyfarth. “When you play good teams, especially in conference or in the postseason, sometimes you’re going to be scored on first. What matters is how you respond, and tonight we hung our heads and allowed Tampa to go down and score again right away. It’s certainly not the first time we’ve given up the first goal this season, but until tonight we’d handled it well.â€
The first half Seyfarth referred to was a defensive struggle with few scoring chances, and even fewer that were taxing to the goalkeepers, who each had to make only one save. The closest either team came to scoring was in the 29th minute when Tampa’s Jordan Moses struck a direct free kick from the top of the box about two inches too high.
Much of the first half for Florida Southern was dominated by Holmes and midfielder Luke Jenner, who repeatedly won possession for the Moccasins and helped limit the Spartans to only two shots.
Jonsson and Niepel each made three saves in the game for their respective teams, with Niepel posting his fifth shutout of the season. It was the first time this year Florida Southern had been shut out.
Tuesday night’s result continued a startling trend in the Sunshine State Conference this year. Tampa’s win gave the road teams a 16-5 record in SSC games, the most road wins since Nova Southeastern joined the league as its ninth member in 2004. Those 15 wins have already come with 15 games still remaining to be played on the SSC composite schedule.
Florida Southern, which is 2-0 on the road in the SSC this year, will have a chance to add to that total on Saturday when it travels to Boca Raton to face Lynn University at 3:00 p.m. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:00, and the Knights will be the fourth consecutive nationally ranked team the Moccasins have played.
