OMAHA, NE – The FGCU men's soccer team (7-5-1) suffered only its second shutout loss of the season Saturday afternoon, falling to Omaha (4-6-1), 2-0 at Caniglia Field.

"Today we continued to struggle to make the key plays that decided the game and to be the winning side and UNO did," said head coach Jesse Cormier. "They played with their whole hearts and we simply couldn't match their intensity, unfortunately. Like at UCF, we certainly won the possession battle and created some opportunities but at this time of the season, it's the team that competes the hardest and converts chances that move on. We're not that team right now but we have next week to change that."

Omaha jumped on the board using a penalty kick converted by Denzel Woods for the 1-0 lead in the 25th minute. FGCU hung around in the second half until Mitch Hammer's shot from outside the 18-yard box in the 63rd minute found the back of the net to put the game out of reach.

As Cormier alluded, FGCU had its chances while controlling the majority of the possession in both halves. In the first period, the Eagles fired off five shots as three were on target. Early on Ryan Medilah (Paris, France/Lycee Maurice Ravel/San Jacinto/Cloud County) nearly gave FGCU the lead on a breakaway but a mistouch would cause the ball to slip away. After Omaha's penalty kick conversion in the 25th minute, the Eagles next best chance would come in the 41st minute as Medilah's shot from about 20-yards out rattled off the post.

The offensive struggle continued into the second period as the Eagles produced just one shot in 20 minutes coming out of the break. Shortly after, Hammer tallied the second goal of the afternoon, firing a right-footed shot to the upper 90 from 20-yards away.

Two shots on goal were all the Eagle's offense manufactured the rest of the way after Omaha's score. The closest threat would be in the 88th minute as Miguel Perez (Caracas, Venezuela/Cypress Bay) struck a left-footed shot from 35-yards out that ricocheted off the top crossbar.

In the losing effort, keeper Connor Gavigan (Aurora, Colo./Grandview/Creighton) made his third start of the year, collecting two saves.

UP NEXT
FGCU returns back home for its final regular-season home match on Wednesday, Oct. 24 when the Eagles host UNF (3-8, 2-1 ASUN) on Senior Night at 7 p.m. UNF will be in action tonight against Stetson.

FOLLOW ALONG
For up-to-the minute information and a behind-the-scenes look at the FGCU men's soccer program, follow on Twitter @FGCU_MSoccer, Instagram @FGCU_MSoccer, Facebook /FGCUMSoccer and YouTube /FGCUAthletics.
 
HEAD COACH JESSE CORMIER
Jesse Cormier is in his second season as head coach of the FGCU men's soccer program after being hired in January of 2017 to become just the 2nd head coach in program history. Cormier has guided FGCU to a 15-11-4 (.607) record overall, including an 8-6-3 (4-1-1 ASUN) mark in his 1st season with the team in 2017. The Eagles reached the ASUN Tournament semifinals for the 7th-straight season (every year of eligibility), as Cormier coached a program-record 10 all-conference selections. Cormier was the head coach at his alma mater the University of Vermont for the previous 13 seasons. He won 14 games with the Catamounts in 2016 and advanced to the NCAA Tournament Second Round. During his time with Vermont, Cormier guided the program to the America East Tournament in 12 of 13 seasons, making five title game appearances, winning two tournament crowns, claiming a regular-season championship and advancing to three NCAA tournaments, including a pair of Second Round appearances. Cormier holds an overall 129-100-51 (.558) record as a head coach in his fourteen plus seasons at the helm.