JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - The Florida Gulf Coast University women's soccer team won its fourth match in a row Thursday, defeating North Florida 2-0. It was the first time in program history that FGCU has faced the same opponent in consecutive matches, following its 6-0 win over UNF on Sunday. The Eagles improved to 8-4-1 overall and 5-1 in Atlantic Sun Conference play, leading the ASUN's Graphite Division with 15 points and while holding the head-to-head tiebreaker over Jacksonville. FGCU has posted four consecutive clean sheets and has a scoring margin of 20-2 in ASUN play.
North Florida had the first opportunity of the match. The Ospreys forced a save from FGCU goalkeeper
Madara Matrevica in the bottom left corner of her net four minutes into the contest. FGCU's first chances came in the 15th and 16th minutes courtesy of
Keira Morgan and
Kate Friday, who both put tries on net but could not score. Matrevica was called upon to make her second save in the 28th minute.
FGCU broke through in the 32nd minute. The Eagles earned a free kick over 25 yards away from the UNF goal in the middle of the field, and senior
Erika Zschuppe, the ASUN Preseason Player and Midfielder of the Year, used one bounce off a slick surface to score the opening tally of the match and give the Eagles a 1-0 lead.
In the 37th minute, the Eagles secured another free kick slightly closer to UNF's net but in a similar spot, and, once again, Zschuppe converted for her second set piece goal of the evening and gifting her team a 2-0 advantage. Her two goals and four points brought Zschuppe into sole possession of first place in all of Division I with 16 goals and 32 points. Both marks are career highs for the two-time First Team All-ASUN performer.
The senior made it six goals in her last two matches, both against North Florida. Zschuppe's four goals and eight points on Sunday both tied for second most in a single match in program history. The midfielder has scored multiple goals in four consecutive contests and has 10 goals in that span. Zschuppe has multiple goals in five total contests this season, a career high.
Matrevica made her third save in the 37th minute and FGCU went into halftime with its 2-0 advantage intact. The Eagles outshot the Ospreys 7-6 in the opening frame and 4-3 in terms of shots on goal.
North Florida had the first opportunity of the second half with a three-shot flurry in the 50th minute, but could not find the back of the net. UNF goalkeeper Chrissa Avery kept her team in the match, robbing Zschuppe of her second consecutive hat trick in the 67th minute and stonewalling
Maya Henley Buisan,
Lauren Dwyer and
Lindsey Saad over the following 10 minutes.
The Ospreys had two more opportunities, hitting the cross bar and forcing Matrevica's fourth save of the match and only of the second half in the 83rd minute. The Eagles held on to the 2-0 lead that Zschuppe secured in the first half and won their fourth consecutive match while outshooting the Ospreys 13-11 overall and 8-4 in shots on goal.
FGCU (8-4-1, 5-1 ASUN) stays in Jacksonville and awaits a 1 p.m. matchup on Sunday against the Dolphins. FGCU defeated Jacksonville 5-0 at Pickering Field on Oct. 2 and has won 12 of its last 13 meetings with the Dolphins, dating back to 2016. FGCU will come out of that contest with the Graphite Division lead if it earns a victory or a draw. Jacksonville will lead the division if the Dolphins triumph.
