NASHVILLE, TN – The  #24 FGCU men's soccer team (4-3-1, 1-1 ASUN) four-game unbeaten streak came to close Saturday night as the Eagles fell to Lipscomb (2-7-0, 1-1 ASUN), 3-2.

"Credit to Lipscomb, they had a deserved lead, then lost momentum in the game, but came back and finished stronger than we did," said head coach Jesse Cormier. "We're disappointed in our ability to get a complete performance in a key conference game. We'll learn from it provide more early energy and quality while maintaining the high standards we expect from ourselves in all phases of the game."

The Bisons grasped onto an early lead just seven minutes into the matchup and it wouldn't be until the 35th minute in which Chris Clement (Mallorca, Spain/Lycee Francais de Palma) tallied the equalizer – his first goal of the season. The Eagles then struck again in the opening stages of the second period. This time it was Joao Burti (Sao Paulo, Brazil/South Kent/Iowa Western) collecting a loose ball in the box for the finish. As Lipscomb trailed by one, the home side would tally two goals in the final 13 minutes of the contest for their first ASUN win of the year.

Trailing 1-0, Shak Adams (Antioch, Tenn./Cane Ridge HS) showed off his speed taking his defender one on one down the left side of the pitch as his cross into the box found Clement on the far post for the one-time strike in the 35th minute. It was the Eagles first shot on goal and despite trailing 7-3 in shots at the half, they would strike just under 20 minutes into the second period.  

Following a foul, Clement sailed a ball into the five-yard box from about 30 yards. As the Lipscomb keeper came off his line, the ball was mishandled and found the foot of Burti for the score in the 63rd minute – his second of the year.

As the Eagles held a 2-1 edge, the Bisons continued to press and found an equalizer of their own in the 77th minute off the right foot of Ryan Birchfield from inside the penalty area. It would take just five minutes before Lipscomb struck again, as Daniel Zapata gave the home side the lead and the game-winner.

Gustavo Vasconcelos (Recife, Brazil/Colegio GGE) produced six saves in the losing effort.

UP NEXT
FGCU will travel to Miami, FL and face FIU (4-5, 3-0 C-USA) this Wednesday, Oct. 3 at 7 p.m. The Eagles and the Panthers have split the last two matches with FGCU taking a 4-1 victory back in 2016.

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 12-9-4 (.568) 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 126-98-51 (.562) record as a head coach in his fourteen plus seasons at the helm.

SUPPORT THE CAUSE
FGCU Athletics sponsors events throughout the year to benefit the FGCU Campus Food Pantry (www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry) and the Harry Chapin Food Bank (www.harrychapinfoodbank.org), FGCU Athletics' charities of choice. For more information, including how to make a contribution, please visit www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry and utilize the hashtag #FeedFGCU to help raise.