JACKSONVILLE, Fla.- The Florida Gulf Coast Eagles dropped their first ASUN game of the year on Sunday, coming up just short in a 2-1 defeat against North Florida on the road in Jacksonville.
Playing against a stiff wind in the first half, the Eagles were forced to defend right off the bat Sunday. North Florida took advantage of mother nature, building into the Eagles end before sending a cross through the box, finding the head on the back post for a goal to take a 1-0 lead in the 12th minute of action.
The Eagles had their best chance of the first half in the 17th minute as
Megan Morgan drilled a left footed strike from inside the box, it was stopped by the UNF keeper and
Tessa Brooks had a shot at the rebound, but it was saved as well to keep it a 1-0 game in favor of the Ospreys.
North Florida had a chance in the 24th minute, working into the Eagles box, but
Madara Bome made a big save for FGCU to keep it a one goal game midway through the half.
The Ospreys put pressure on the Eagles for the final 20 minutes of the period, but FGCU withstood the push and the wind to keep it a 1-0 game heading into the half.
The backbreaker for the Eagles came early in the second half as a foul deep in the North Florida attacking third led to a free kick which the Ospreys sent on goal and into the back of the net to double their lead to 2-0.
The field was tilted the rest of the second half, but the Ospreys stood firm to keep the Eagles out of the net. FGCU finally broke through in the 75th minute as
Taylor Latini picked up a loose ball in the box and buried in the back of the net for her fourth of the year to cut the UNF lead in half and breathe some life back into the Eagles with the score 2-1.
The Eagles didn't relent, getting another shot on one minute later and back-to-back corner kicks in the 79th minute. The Blue and Green would get five corners in a 3:36 span into the 82nd minute, but couldn't capitalize on any of the set pieces as it remained a 2-1 game.
FGCU continued to pound the Osprey cage, but just couldn't break through and after one final push, UNF was able to breathe once more, finishing off a 2-1 win to climb to within one point of the Eagles in the ASUN standings.
The Eagles outshot the Ospreys in both halves, holding a 17-6 advantage overall. FGCU put 12 shots on target while UNF managed just three, turning two of those into goals.
FGCU has their 13-game unbeaten streak snapped as they fall to 9-2-5 overall and 6-1-2 in ASUN action. UNF improves to 9-4-4 overall and 6-2-1 in league play.
The Osprey win tightens things substantially in the ASUN standings as FGCU remains on top with 20 points, but UNF climbs to within one with 19 with one game left to go for each side.
The scenario for FGCU is simple, win on Halloween at Stetson and they clinch their 13th ASUN regular season championship in program history. Lose, and they would need both Bellarmine and North Florida to go without a victory to back their way into the title.
The Eagles will wrap up the regular season against the Hatters on Halloween in DeLand in a 4 p.m. kick.
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