HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The Northern Kentucky University men's soccer team fell, 3-1, to Atlantic Sun rival Florida Gulf Coast. The Eagles handed the Norse their first conference loss of the season.
The match opened with both sides struggling to control the pace of the game. The NKU midfielders were disrupting the rhythm of the FGCU attack.
Nick McGregor took the first shot on target for either side in the 26th minute. He powered a long-range effort that FGCU keeper Nathan Ingham bobbled and deflected out of play, conceding a corner kick.
FGCU broke through before halftime thanks to Albert Ruiz. In the 37th minute, Aaron Guillen played a long ball over the Norse defenders and found Ruiz. Ruiz turned inside with the ball and struck a shot past
A.J. Fleak in the lower right-hand corner of the goal. The Eagles took a 1-0 lead into half.
"Florida Gulf Coast is the best team we've seen all year," said head coach
John Basalyga. "They are good in the attack and in one-on-one defending. If you combine that with they way they move they ball, they are hard to beat."
It didn't take FGCU long to expand their lead. One of the FGCU forwards was fouled inside the box and the Eagles were awarded a penalty in the 49th minute. Henry Penagos stepped up to take the spot kick and placed the ball in the top left corner of the goal past Fleak. Penagos has scored in every game the Norse and Eagles have played against one another including converting a penalty last season in Fort Meyers, Florida.
The Eagles continued the offensive pressure and added a third goal in the 56th minute. Santiago Echeverri passed the ball to Rodrigo Saravia at the top of the penalty box. Saravia took one touch and curled in a low shot past Fleak to extend the FGCU lead to 3-0.
The Norse had their chances later on in the contest.
Diego Martinez and
Caleb Eastham each had one-on-one opportunities with the FGCU keeper but neither Norse attacker could best Ingham. Ingham finished the match with nine total saves on 20 shots faced.
Cian McDonald got on the score sheet for the Norse in the 78th minute. McGregor took a corner kick and the ball fell to McDonald's feet from 21-yards out. He struck the ball, low and hard past Ingham to get the Norse back in the contest, cutting the FGCU lead to 3-1.
"We didn't quit," said Basalyga. "We had five corner kicks and two breakaway chances. We came back and I was pleased with the effort we showed after being down 3-0. We could've rolled over but we didn't. Hopefully we see FGCU another time this year and hopefully it will be a different game."
The Norse were unable to get another goal despite a couple of late chances from Eastham and McGregor. NKU falls to 2-5-4 (0-1-1 A-Sun) overall on the year and will return to action on Wednesday, Oct. 15 to take on Marshall at the NKU Soccer Stadium.
For a behind the scenes look at the NKU men's soccer team during the rest of the year, follow @NKUNorseMSOC on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
