FORT MYERS, Fla.- The Florida Gulf Coast Eagles took over sole possession of first place in the ASUN standings on Thursday with a 2-1 win over long time rival North Florida at Pickering Field in Fort Myers. Taylor Latini scored just 1:08 into the contest to put the Eagles ahead and Keira Morgan found Kaitlin Gabelman for a beautiful goal less than two minutes into the second half to give FGCU a 2-0 lead to help them pick up three big points with a 2-1 win.
 
"Really proud of our team and how we came out ready to go in a big game like this" FGCU head coach Jim Blankenship said. "We kept sustained pressure on them most of the night and Taylor and Kaitlin were able to finish chances close to the goal to give us what we needed to get the three points."
 
The Eagles came out ready to go as Lily Borders played a long ball into the box just one minute into the contest and after it ping ponged around, it found the right foot of Taylor Latini who buried it in the back of the net to put FGCU in front 1-0 just 1:08 into things.
 
North Florida looked like they were going to have a chance to equalize in the 18^th minute, making a run into the box before Sarah Greiner burst onto the scene and cut out the attack to keep the Ospreys off the board and the Eagles ahead 1-0.
 
Greiner also put her print on the game offensively, striking three shots towards goal in the first half including one on a free kick just outside the box in the 35^th minute, but none found their way on target and it remained a 1-0 game into the break.
 
Whatever Blankenship said to the Eagles during the break at half clicked right away for the Blue and Green.  Just under two minutes into the period Kate Friday and Keira Morgan put together a beautiful run into the 18' and Morgan crossed it to a wide open Kaitlin Gabelman in front of the goal mouth for an easy tap in to make it 2-0 FGCU.
 
UNF got one back in the 62^nd minute in a play reminiscent of FGCU's early goal, picking up a loose ball in the box off of a long entry and finishing it for a goal to cut the Eagles lead in half to 2-1.
 
With the pressure on both sides now ratcheted up, Greiner drilled a shot on goal in the 69^th minute trying to give FGCU some insurance, but the Ospreys keeper got her hands on it right under the crossbar to keep it out of goal and keep it a 2-1 game with 20 minutes left to go.
 
FGCU continued to generate chances and in the 71^st minute they were able to put together three consecutive shots, the first saved by the UNF keeper, the second cleared off the back post by a Osprey header, and the third just high over the bar to keep it a one goal game.
 
The Eagles had a few chances for an insurance tally and UNF put a couple of shots towards net trying to even things up, but neither side was able to get a shot on target over the final 19 minutes of the contest and FGCU dribbled out the final seconds as they closed out a big 2-1 ASUN win.
 
The Eagles finished the game with a 24-7 advantage in shots including a 7-3 edge in shots on goal. Gabelman's goal was her sixth of the season, tying her for the ASUN lead while Morgan assisted on both FGCU tallies in the win to take over the ASUN lead in helpers with six.
 
FGCU improves to 6-1-5 overall and 3-0-2 in ASUN action where Thursday's three points leapfrog them over UNF for first place in the league standings. The Ospreys lose for the first time in conference play, seeing their three game winning streak snapped to fall to 6-3-4 overall and 3-1-1 in ASUN action.
 
The Eagles are back in action on Sunday at home at Pickering Field when they host Jacksonville in another big conference battle beginning at 1 p.m. It will be Fan Appreciation Day at the pitch with a soccer scarf giveaway and deals at the concession stand all afternoon.
 
For more information on FGCU women's soccer, follow @FGCU_WSoccer on Instagram, X (Twitter) and Facebook, and visit fgcuathletics.com.
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