TAMPA, Fla. – The FGCU men's soccer team (3-5-2) fell to USF (6-2-0) 1-0 Tuesday night at Corbett Stadium.
"We missed an assignment on a set-piece and from there we didn't do enough in the final third to find the equalizer," said head coach
Jesse Cormier. "Overall our performance has improved over the last few games. We're just missing that extra push up top but hopefully we can get a good couple days of practice and be ready for Lipscomb Saturday night."
The Eagles' offense recorded six shots in the first period as they pressed the Bulls' back line early on, winning three corner kicks inside the first 20 minutes of play. After a back-and-forth possession over the next 17 minutes, USF tallied the contest's first goal off a corner kick header from Javain Brown.
FGCU nearly found the equalizer minutes later as
Shak Adams (Antioch, Tenn./Cane Ridge HS) and
Chris Clement (Mallorca, Spain/Lycée Francais de Palma) both had their shots blocked inside the 18-yard box. At the break, both teams were tied with three corners apiece.
Connor Gavigan (Aurora, Colo./Creighton) took over in the ninth minute after a collision in the box sent out starting keeper
Gustavo Vasconcelos (Recife, Brazil/Colegio GGE).
Three minutes into the second stanza,
Joao Burti (Sao Paulo, Brazil/Iowa Western) recorded FGCU's first shot on goal as the senior fired a shot to the right post that was sent away for a corner. It was the Green and Blue's only shot on frame in the second half as the squad ended the period with six total shots.
Gavigan, who saw his first action all year, ended the game with two saves. Both teams launched 12 shots with three different Eagles recording two each. FGCU edged USF 7-5 in corners.
Up Next
FGCU returns to the pitch at home Saturday night to square off against the defending 2018 ASUN Champions Lipscomb Bisons (2-4-1, 1-0 ASUN). Kickoff is set for 7:02 p.m. on ESPN +.
Fall Sports Single-Game, Season and Group Tickets On Sale
Single game tickets for volleyball, men's soccer and women's soccer are on sale now. Prices are $7 for adults and $5 for military/veterans (with ID) and youth (age 15 and under).
Season tickets (entry to each home game) are $55 for volleyball and women's soccer and $40 for men's soccer. Group tickets are $7 for groups of 15 or more and will include reserved seats, group recognition, a group activity and choice of FGCU gear or food. Fall Frequent Flyer passes, which includes a total of 30 entries to all three sports, are just $99.
For all inquiries, you can visit FGCUtickets.com, call 239-590-7145 or stop by the ticket office, which is open daily Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and one hour prior to all home events.
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 completed his second 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 20-16-7 (.560) record overall, including a 9-2-2 mark (.773) in ASUN play. The Eagles have reached the ASUN Tournament semifinals for eight-straight seasons (every year of eligibility), as Cormier has coached 16 all-conference selections since his arrival (program-record 10 in 2017). 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 134-105-54 (.551) record as a head coach in his fourteen plus seasons at the helm.
#FEEDFGCU
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 awareness.
ABOUT FGCU
FGCU teams have combined to win an incredible 78 conference regular season and tournament titles in just 11+ seasons at the Division-I level. Additionally, in just seven+ seasons of D-I postseason eligibility, the Eagles have had a combined 36 teams or individuals compete in NCAA championships. Seven FGCU programs have earned a top-25 national ranking in their respective sport - including both men's soccer, women's soccer, and women's basketball again in 2018-19. FGCU also collectively earned a record 3.35 GPA in the classroom in spring 2018 and have outpaced their institution's undergraduate student body GPA each of the past 20 semesters. In 2016-17, the Green and Blue posted a department-best sixth-place finish in the DI-AAA Learfield Directors' Cup and top-100 showing nationally, ahead of several Power-5 and FBS institutions. The Eagles also served an all-time high 7,200 volunteer hours - being recognized as one of two runners-up for the inaugural NACDA Community Service Award presented by the Fiesta Bowl in 2017.
