Box Score LAKELAND – Alek Cosio-Altamirano scored the first goal of his college career Wednesday night, but he didn't stop there. The junior midfielder from Fort Worth, Texas also added one assist in an attacking role against Sunshine State Conference provisional member Embry-Riddle and led Florida Southern to a 2-0 win.
After a scoreless first half, the Moccasins took the lead just over eight minutes into the second behind beautiful ball work by a collection of players that led to the goal. Jonathan Radvogin, Romain Voirin, and Alexi Cortez were all involved in the play, working the ball between them near the edge of the penalty box, with Cortez eventually laying it off inside for Cosio-Altamirano. Set up by himself against Embry-Riddle goalkeeper Jeff Bone, Cosio-Altamirano did not waste the opportunity for his first collegiate goal.
Later, with 2:22 remaining, Cosio-Altamirano worked a give-and-go with Radvogin inside the box and this time assisted the goal that put the game out of reach. The goal was Radvogin's fifth of the season, while Cosio-Altamirano notched his first assist after leading the Moccasins in that category last year. He had missed the first six games of this season due to injury.
The Florida Southern defense turned in another magnificent performance by allowing just six shots on the night to match their season-low, with only one of those on target. That was easily saved by junior goalkeeper Cole Clingerman three minutes before halftime. The Eagles managed only two shots in the second half, one of those in the dying seconds. It marked Florida Southern's third consecutive shutout, with Luke Bromley, Daniel Moore, Kevin Davidsson, and Pablo Gallo Arias manning the back positions on this night.
Bromley and Arias nearly helped Florida Southern score much sooner, but a first-half goal by Jimmy Oatman was disallowed after the offside flag had been raised. The build-up came from the two defenders, with a cross from Arias deep out of the corner leading to the shot. The Mocs were also denied another first-half goal when Bone made a save at point-blank range against Cortez, deflecting the ball over the crossbar.
Florida Southern (5-7) out-shot Embry-Riddle 14-6, and had a 7-1 advantage in corner kicks, even with the Eagles (2-6) jealously guarding the perimeter of the penalty box most of the night. The Mocs dealt with the congestion though and the two second-half goals were plenty for their third straight win, and fourth in the last five games. All of those have come by shutout, giving the Moccasins and Clingerman four clean sheets on the season, the most for either a Florida Southern team or goalkeeper in 10 years.
The Moccasins hadn't had three straight shutouts since September of 2002, when they put together a streak of four in a row.
That scoreless streak will be put on the line Saturday night in Melbourne, when Florida Southern faces Florida Tech at 7 p.m.
