Meehan Scores Twice as FSC Men's Soccer Ties Eckerd, 2-2

ST. PETERSBURG, FLA. – Behind a pair of goals from James Meehan, the Florida Southern College men's soccer team played to a 2-2 draw with Eckerd College on Wednesday night. The tie moves FSC to a 3-4-5 overall record, including a 2-2-4 mark inside the Sunshine State Conference, while Eckerd moves to 6-5-2, and 2-4-1 in the conference.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Eckerd's attacking style produced the first goal of the game. In just the seventh minute, the Tritons took advantage of an errant Southern pass and took an early 1-0 lead.
• In the 14^th minute, the Mocs knotted the score at 1-1. Junior Alberto Diaz won a ball in the offensive midfield, and passed the ball ahead to classmate James Meehan. Meehan broke to his right, sprinted past his defender, and shot across the grain into the far left corner for his first goal of the season.
• The Mocs continued the attack, with a Taylor Vincent shot saved by the Eckerd keeper.
• Next, Southern earned the match's first corner kick in the 18^th minute, but Diaz's shot was deflected in front and went sailing wide.
• Southern kept the pressure on for the next ten minutes, before the Tritons re-established their offense. However, FSC grad student keeper Philip Faderl stood tall, repelling each Eckerd shot.
• In the 28^th minute, senior Eneko Lasheras took a free kick after an Eckerd foul. As the ball ricocheted wide, an errant clear attempt from the Tritons switched possession back to the Mocs. Diaz took a left-footed shot from the top of the box, but had his volley deflected, and the ball pinballed softly through the middle to the feet of Meehan, who slipped the ball past the charging keeper for his second goal of the game.
• Southern kept the pressure on as the second stanza opened, but it was Eckerd who would score first in the second half. In the 69^th minute, Agustin Pertusso managed the equalizer, as Faderl came out to challenge foe the loose ball.
• As regulation time dwindled, the Tritons had a great opportunity in the 73^rd minute. A long ball came through the middle of the Mocs defense. In a 1v1 situation, Faderl came out to cut down the angle, which forced the Eckerd shot just above the crossbar.
• In the 78^th minute, Diaz collected a loose ball in the midfield, and quickly fed the ball ahead to Meehan, who beat two defenders and let loose a wicked shot that was stopped by the Eckerd keeper.
• With just over three minutes to go in the first overtime, freshmen Daniel Miranda and Jack Duffey had back-to-back shots on goal, with both resulting in saves.
• In the second overtime, Diaz and junior Edu Capote had decent looks at the goal, but could not convert.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• The Mocs have now played overtime in six of their 12 matches this season.
• Prior to this year, the Mocs had never played more than three overtime games in a single season. The most recent time there were three overtime games in a single season was 2014.
• With ten points in conference play so far, the Mocs are still in a good position to qualify for the SSC post-season championship tournament.
• Southern has just two more conference matches remaining, against Saint Leo, who currently has nine points also, and Embry-Riddle, who is 2-5 in the conference.
• The Mocs have three matches remaining in the regular season, with all at home.
• Through the first 45 minutes tonight, FSC had more shots, 7-5, but more importantly, a 2-1 lead.
• Between the posts, Faderl made four saves in 110 minutes played.
• Meehan scored his first two goals of the season tonight. He now has 11 goals in his two seasons for the Red and White.
• Meehan also led the team in shots (5) and shots on goal (3).
• Diaz was credited with his second assist of the year.

UP NEXT

The Mocs return to Lakeland to finalize the non-conference portion of the schedule, hosting the University of Mary from Bismarck, N.D., on Saturday, October 26, at 7:00 p.m.