Box Score
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Senior midfielder
Daniel Lopez scored his team-leading fifth goal of the season to split a second-half stalemate and the Eckerd College men's soccer program added insurance in the form of a shorthanded strike to sink Nova Southeastern University on Wednesday night, 3-1.
The Tritons (4-8-2, 2-3-0 SSC) stopped a four-game slide and forged through the final 25 minutes and change playing down a man (11 vs. 10) after a red card was issued.
Eckerd manufactured a pair of goals off of corner kicks and Lopez' go-ahead penalty kick conversion was the offense generated to remain in the conversation for Sunshine State Conference Championship seeding as the regular season winds down.
Junior forward
Matt Dolan booted home the first goal of the match and junior defender
Marcus Lohrmann gave the Tritons extra cushion with his first goal of the fall in the 67th minute of regulation.
"It was a must-win situation and puts us one step closer to the top six and the conference tournament," said EC Head Coach Steve Magee. "It was played like that by both sides tonight. They threatened a couple times, but we held strong defensively."
Sophomore forward
Joe Swindell figured into the mix with relentless offense play, drawing the foul just inside the box to set up the Lopez penalty kick. He also factored into the first EC goal by feeding Dolan for his third assist following the corner kick service by sophomore
Mitchell Metzger.
The Sharks (3-7-3, 0-5-1 SSC) countered with a goal from Andrea Spuntarelli to tie the match less than five minutes before the break and both teams would head into halftime at a 1-1 draw.
The tide took a turn when EC goalkeeper
Toni Virtanen was sent off the field after charging out of the box and plowing into NSU forward Viktor Jonsson. But the Tritons collectively regrouped and fended off numerous shots, pioneered by junior reserve netminder
Alexander Starzynski, who was pressed into immediate duty.
Starzynski recorded three saves to preserve the lead as the Sharks ended up with a slight shot advantage, 13-12, by the end of the night.
As a result of the red card, Virtanen will be inactive for Saturday's contest on the road at No. 2 Rollins College.
"It's a big loss for us, but our keepers have been training hard and they'll be up for the task (on Saturday)," Magee said.
Despite the one-man disadvantage, Triton junior forward
Nick Murawski curled in another corner kick try to find Lohrmann crashing the box. Lohrmann's header came less than three minutes after Virtanen's departure.
All that remains on the regular-season schedule for Eckerd is No. 2 Rollins, No. 7 Saint Leo University for Senior Night and the conclusion at Barry University.
"We wanted to continue to grow and be better and that's going to be the message for next three games," Magee added. "It's an uphill climb, but we can certainly get there with the confidence we've built in the last game."
The Tritons and still undefeated Tars will tangle at Barker Family Stadium on Saturday in Winter Park with the match set to get underway at 5 p.m.
