Box Score ROME, Ga. – Despite another strong performance by the Florida Southern back line, which gave up only nine shots in the game, Shorter used a goal by Darwin Lom with 22:19 remaining to defeat the Moccasins 1-0 on Saturday.
The Moccasins were in control right from the outset with two shots and three corner kicks in the first two minutes. The last of those corners resulted in a good scoring chance for junior midfielder Hassirou Diakite, though it was saved by Shorter goalkeeper Austen Trevers. The Moccasins then had a similar stretch later in the first half between the 34th and 35th minutes in which they had two more shots and two more corner kicks, but the Hawks (2-4-1) again withstood the pressure.
Both sides had a chance to dent the scoreboard in the closing minutes of the first half, with Florida Southern's Romain Voirin having his shot saved by Trevers, and a header by Shorter's Darwin Lom off the mark. That kept the game scoreless at the half, with the Moccasins (1-6) owning a 5-3 advantage in shots.
Shorter took the first three shots of the second half, all of them in the first eight minutes, one of which hit the post, but the Hawks still could not score against the Florida Southern defense. That changed in the 68th minute when Lom finished off a free kick that had bounced around inside the box for a 1-0 Shorter lead.
By the 72nd minute, the momentum had shifted back in favor of Florida Southern. Over the next eight minutes, the Moccasins added to their numbers on offense with three more shots and two additional corner kicks. After a brief lull, the Mocs cranked it up again in the final five minutes, peppering the Shorter goal with three shots. One of those by freshman defender Luke Bromley hit the crossbar, and redshirt freshman Jordyn Henderson had one blocked with a little over two minutes remaining.
The Hawks managed to survive the late attack though, and closed out the 1-0 win despite being out-shot by the Moccasins 13-9. It marked the second game in a row the Mocs' back line of Bromley, redshirt freshman Daniel Moore, sophomore Carl Spansk and redshirt junior Kevin Davidsson held an opponent to a single-digit shot total.
Junior goalkeeper Cole Clingerman had to make just one save for the Moccasins, while Trevers made three for Shorter.
Florida Southern returns home and to Sunshine State Conference play on Wednesday when it hosts the University of Tampa at 7 p.m.
