LAKELAND, Fla. – Ally Prentice was the hero once again as the Florida Southern College women's soccer team upset No. 3 Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University with a 1-0 Moccasin victory Wednesday night at Berend Field.
The Mocs (8-4-2, 4-2-1 SSC) battled the entire game with the game-winner by Prentice in the second half for the first win against ERAU since 2018 and the first win over a top-5 team since 2010. The Eagles (8-1-3, 5-1-1 SSC) were nearly even with the Mocs in shots but unable to find the net themselves as Moccasin keeper
Jenny Staten recorded her seventh shutout of the season off four saves.
Florida Southern was the first to record a shot on goal with a great attempt by
Morgan Elliott that was just below the bar and saved by Embry-Riddle. The Eagles then took her shot at the goal in the 10
th minute with a long cross that ERAU nearly capitalized on, but
Jordan King blocked the open net to prevent the score. A dangerous rebound from King's block found an open Eagle but this time Staten was there to snag the save herself.
Both teams continued the first half with trading shots including an uncovered Eagle that nearly earned the game's first goal, but Staten extended her clean sheet with a great one-on-one save. To end the first half, the Eagles had the edge in shots seven-to-six and even with the Mocs with three saves each.
Despite an early shot by ERAU to start the second half, Staten fended off the attempts to allow FSC's offense to take control. In the 62
nd minute, Florida Southern charged down the field as
Jasmin Adames evaded her defenders to pass to an open Prentice calling for the ball. Prentice took a strong right foot just outside the box and a deflection off an ERAU defender was fast enough to find the net and eventual game-winner.
Ahead with one goal, the Mocs turned defense for most of the game and kept great control over the ball in the final 25 minutes. Staten had another great save in the 74
th minute and a great Moccasin defense allowed no Embry-Riddle shots in the final five minutes to seal a historic FSC win.
Florida Southern's last win over a ranked opponent was back in 2014 against No. 8 Barry and the last win over a top-five ranked opponent was against No. 2 West Florida in 2010. Prentice has three goals in the last two games, both games where she was the game-winner. Staten's seventh shutout of the season brought her career total to 23 shutouts, as she continues to climb the NCAA ranks after securing a program record earlier this season. Mocs have won three games in a row, with three games remaining in the regular season.
The Mocs have the weekend off and will have their final home game of the regular season against the University of Tampa next Wednesday, Oct. 25, at 7 p.m. at Berend Field.
