JACKSONVILLE, Fla – The Northern Kentucky University men's soccer team fell to Atlantic Sun Conference rivals Jacksonville, 2-0, on Friday evening. The Norse conceded two early goals and were not able to bounce back.
The Dolphins controlled the pace of the game from the opening minutes, and it didn't take them long to get on the score sheet. In the fifth minute, Jacksonville's Jack Burns took a corner kick and Ejiroghene Mrabure won the ball with his head, sending it past goalkeeper
Toby Frohlich. Mrabure was left unmarked and converted the chance, giving the Dolphins the 1-0 lead early in the contest.
The Norse had a hard time creating chances as their offense failed to create quality scoring chances. NKU was outshot by an 11-3 margin in the first half by Jacksonville. NKU's best scoring chance in the opening half came from
Yaw Addai in the 16th minute. Addai dribbled between two defenders and created space for a shot. He did not strike the ball with a lot of pace, and Jacksonville's Marc Meny made an easy collection of the effort.
Jacksonville continued to press offensively and, in the 28th minute, the Dolphins extended their lead. The Dolphins set up a free kick from 30 yards out, and Hector Vega was the target man in the set piece. Vega attempted a shot that was block but then collected his own rebound and sent in a through ball to Matheus Saroli. Sarolio directed the ball low and away from Frohlich, leaving the Norse keeper no chance to make the save.
NKU went into halftime trailing, 2-0, and they never looked to break into the scoreline in the second half.
Alwin Komolong had two chances to score, with his best coming in the 56th minute when
Cian McDonald crossed a ball into Komolong inside the penalty area. Komolong caught the keeper off his line but a Jacksonville defender dispossessed him at the last second, saving a goal.
Diego Martinez tried to give the Norse momentum in the 70th minute when he took a long-range shot, but it was not to be. Martinez got an open look from 35 yards out and struck the ball hard but wide of the target.
Christian Johnson had the last chance of the day for the Norse in the 84th minute with a shot from about the same range as Martinez's attempt, but Johnson's shot grazed over the crossbar.
The Norse could not muster up any additional offense, and they fell to Jacksonville by the 2-0 score. NKU falls to 2-7-4 overall and 0-2-1 in the A-Sun, while Jacksonville improved to 4-8 on the year and 1-2 in the conference.
The Norse return to action on Wednesday, Oct. 22 when they host UNC Asheville at 6 p.m. To follow the NKU men's soccer team throughout the rest of the year, follow @NKUNorseMSOC on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
