DeLAND, Fla. - The Florida Gulf Coast University women's soccer team opened Atlantic Sun Conference play with a 3-1 victory over Stetson on the road on Sunday afternoon. The Eagles began their defense of their 2024 ASUN regular season title with their ninth consecutive victory over the Hatters, improving to 19-1-1 in the all-time series against Stetson.
FGCU could not have asked for a better start offensively. ASUN Preseason Player and Midfielder of the Year
Erika Zschuppe scored on the Eagles' first shot of the match, just 1:14 in. It was Zschuppe's team-leading sixth goal of the season and 31st of her career, the third most in program history. The senior's two points gave her 78 for her career, taking Zschuppe past Louise Lillback (2019-22) for third in FGCU history. Zschuppe trails Lillback by three goals for second place on the Eagles' all-time list.
The Green and Blue made it 2-0 less than six minutes later. Senior
Kendal Gargiula scored her third goal of the season in the seventh minute, the forward's first tally in five matches. Sunday marked the Eagles' second contest of the season in which they scored twice in the first seven minutes. The other was FGCU's season-opening 6-0 win over Webber International on Aug. 17. Both of those goals were scored by Zschuppe.
After a frenetic start, the game settled following Gargiula's goal. FGCU had the only two shots for either side over the following 25 minutes, but neither troubled the Stetson net. The Eagles' defense held the Hatters without a shot until the 33rd minute, when freshman goalkeeper
Madara Matrevica made her only save of the first half.
The Eagles almost made it 3-0 in the 43rd minute when Zschuppe had an attempt saved, but, two minutes later, FGCU did sail ahead 3-0. Freshman forward
Keira Morgan, making her collegiate debut, scored less than one minute before halftime. Three goals is the Green and Blue's second-best mark in a half this year, behind their four in the opening frame against Webber International.
Elena Hinkson and
Maya Henley Buisan picked up assists on Zschuppe's goal,
Megan Morgan provided the helper on Gargiula's tally and Gargiula added an assist on Morgan's score.
Stetson put up a fight in the second half. Avery Wise got the Hatters on the board in the 49th minute to cut FGCU's lead to 3-1. Despite allowing that goal, Matrevica came up big for the Eagles down the stretch. The Latvian International made saves in the 61st, 72nd, 83rd and 88th minutes to keep her team ahead. Matrevica's five stops were her third most in a match this season, behind six save performances against FIU on Aug. 31 and Auburn on Sept. 7.
The Eagles finished with 11 shots, eight of which came in the first half. FGCU posted four shots on goal, all coming in the opening period. Meanwhile, the Hatters managed eight shots and put six on goal, with six shots and five on net coming in the second half.
Florida Gulf Coast (4-3-1, 1-0-0 ASUN) returns to action on Sept. 25 in Charlotte, N.C. for a 7 p.m. matchup against Queens. The Eagles defeated the Royals 8-0 in their most recent meeting on Oct. 4, 2024 in Fort Myers.
