Box Score LAKELAND – Nova Southeastern scored two early goals, and, after Florida Southern cut the deficit to one early in the second half, the Sharks used a penalty kick to pull away for the 3-1 win.
Nova Southeastern (4-3-1, 1-2 SSC) scored twice in the first 13 minutes of the game. Just after the 4-minute mark, Victor Nirennold put Nova on the board after taking a pass from Karl Enarsson and lofted the ball into the back of the net. Just over nine minutes later, Andrea Spuntarelli passed the ball to Emilio Blanco who had a clean look at the net for the Sharks' second goal.
The Moccasins (4-4-1, 0-2) had their fair share of chances in that time too. In the 6th minute, sophomores Corey Mills (Wellington, New Zealand) and Jonathan Radvogin (Vasteras, Sweden) nearly tied the game. Mills crossed the ball from the right for a one-timer from Radvogin, but NSU goalkeeper Andrea Giombetti made the leaping catch. Six minutes later, Mills would make his best effort at evening the score, and would have succeeded if Giombetti hadn't made another leaping save before scurrying after the ball and corralling it just shy of the goal line.
Later in the half, freshman Kieran Whitehead (Worcester, England) joined the list of Mocs to be robbed by the Sharks 'keeper when his free-kick from 20-yards out was destined for the twine before Giombetti left his feet and punch it over the bar.
FSC would come out of the intermission fired up, and cut the deficit in half in the 51st minute when freshman Priit Peedo (Tartu, Estonia) dribbled through the NSU defense and rip a shot from 10-yards. Nearly two minutes later, Whitehead rifled a volley from outside the box that made Giombetti sweat, but missed inches wide of the post.
The Sharks would be awarded a penalty kick in the 58th minute after a handball in the box, and Viktor Jonsson converted. Sophomore Cole Clingerman (Auburndale, Fla.) made three saves on the night putting him one shy of 100 career saves.
The Mocs were almost given a gift in the final ten minutes after a defender for Nova tried to clear the ball out of bounds, but sent it toward the upper right corner if the goal surprising his own goalie and forcing him to make a diving stop.
Florida Southern returns to action on Tuesday as Eckerd comes to Barnett Field for a 7 p.m. kickoff.
