Box Score TAMPA – Florida Southern's three-game winning streak came to an end tonight after two second half goals lifted 21st-ranked Tampa to a 3-1 win.
The first half was fairly balanced, although Tampa (5-1-1) got better chances in its attacking third. The Florida Southern (4-2) defense would be tested early in the 7th minute when Daniel Barboto made his way through for a point-blank shot, but sophomore goalkeeper Cole Clingerman (Auburndale, Fla.) was up to the task. Tampa would eventually score off a corner kick to take the lead in the 23rd minute.
The Moccasins would wait nearly 34 minutes until they would record their first shot, but would score 14 seconds later. Freshman Edward Spansk (Mora, Sweden) intercepted a pass inside of the UT box and fired it past the reigning SSC Defensive Player-of-the-Week, Zak Downes, for the equalizer. The score would remain knotted at one a piece at the half.
Just four minutes after the break, Tampa's Chris Campbell took the ball toward down the far right side of the box and toward the goal line where he surprised everyone, including Clingerman, with a shot that found its way inside the far post. Later in the 71st minute, a hard tackle in the box on Kevin Knowle led to the Spartans' second penalty kick of the season. Monty Berrow would score the PK to give Tampa its final goal of the game.
Facing a two-goal deficit and little time left on the clock, FSC never stopped playing hard until the final whistle. Evidence of this came in the 86th minute when, after a yellow card was assessed to Tampa, freshman Jimmy Oatman (La Paz, Bolivia) fired a 35-yard strike on a free kick that rung off the post.
Florida Southern returns home Saturday to face the Palm Beach Atlantic Sailfish (5-1-1) for the second half of a doubleheader after the women's game. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.
