LAKELAND, Fla. — Florida Southern (10-1-1, 5-0-1 SSC) defeated Palm Beach Atlantic (5-3-4, 3-2-1 SSC) in a stunning 3-2 finish on Saturday evening (October 10). The overcame two deficits of being down a goal for their first win over the Sailfish since 2010.
Florida Southern spent the first half chasing a 1-0 deficit after Kobi Thomas scored for PBA from a Livio Von Holzen assist in the 16th minute. Earlier,
Joao Lopes sent the Moccasins' first attempt over the frame in the fifth minute after an early Sailfish chance, and
Hector Oliver followed with another shot shortly after the goal. From 25:39 to 33:09, FSC generated sustained pressure with shots from four different Mocs, including a
Joao Lopes shot, whose bottom-center effort was saved by Flavio Giannini. The half became more physical late, with combined fouls and yellow cards from 30:57 to 40:53 and Moccasins cautions to Oliver and
Tim Baierlein, before
Luciano Schiaffini took Florida Southern's final shot in the 45th minute and the team went to halftime trailing 1-0.
FSC pressed early for an equalizer with shots from Oliver, Grosser and Baierlein, plus three corner kicks before Lopes scored in the 53rd minute in the box off assists from Baierlein and Oliver to make it 1-1. The Sailfish also were down a man for most of the second half due to a red card just before the Mocs' second goal. PBA answered just ten minutes later through Kobi Thomas' midfield shot that caught the FSC keeper off his line, but the Moccasins eventually responded again after Baierlein snuck in a header off a corner kick, assisted by Schiaffini and Oliver, to tie it again at two.
It was
Darcy Moffat to deliver the game-winner in the 83rd minute as a header from Stephens went across the box and found the feet of Moffat to seal the match. The closing stretch included fouls from both sides and a saved
Max Muth shot in the 86th minute, while Florida Southern protected the one-goal margin to finish off the 3-2 win.
Baierlein finished with a goal, now in double digits on the year, and an assist for three points. Moffat scored goal number six on the season on his only shot and recorded the game-winning goal. Oliver tallied two assists and added three shots. Lopes also scored and put two of his three shots on goal.
It's just the seventh time in program history that the Mocs' have eclipsed double-digit wins and the second-fastest team to do so behind the 2018 squad.
Up next, FSC hosts Embry-Riddle on Wednesday night (Oct. 14) at 7 p.m. at Berend Field to potentially clinch a spot in the SSC Tournament.
