ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Any negative impact of Friday's last-minute defeat for the Eckerd men's soccer team was nowhere to be found on Sunday afternoon as the Tritons put together a strong performance on both ends of the field en route to a 3-0 win over the University of Alabama in Huntsville at Johnson Field.
Freshmen scored all three goals for the Tritons with
Enrique Mejias opening the scoring followed by two goals from
Blake Bauer. Â Meanwhile, the Eckerd defense held strong in the second half against a spirited Charger attack to record its third shutout of the young season.
HOW IT ENDED
Final: Eckerd 3, UAH 0
Scoring Summary: EC - Mejias 23' (unassisted); Bauer 37' (unassisted); Bauer 87' (Dolan)
Records: Eckerd 3-1; UAH 0-3
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Eckerd's Enrique Mejias had a couple of early opportunities miss the frame, but the freshman converted in the 23rd minute for his first goal of the season. He was able to break free of his defender at the top of the 18 before turning and firing a shot into the top left to beat UAH keeper Simon Voss
- Blake Bauer took advantage of a misplayed pass in the UAH defensive third, collecting a loose ball in the middle of the field and finding himself in a one-on-one with Voss. Bauer caught Voss leaning and sent a shot to the opposite side for a 2-0 Eckerd lead in the 37th minute.
- The Chargers began to create more chances in the second half but saw a pair of excellent looks turned back by outstanding saves from David Ormiston. Connor Young broke free in the left of the box in the 53rd minute but Ormiston challenged him and made a sliding save on a quick shot attempt. In the 68th minute, he made another sliding save on a close-range attempt by Rafa Moreno.
- Eckerd extended its lead to 3-0 in the 87 minute after a goal kick by UAH was headed back toward the Chargers' goal. Ty Dolan out-muscled his defender to win the ball and carried it down the right of the box before sliding a low cross to Bauer who was running on down the middle. Bauer one-touched the pass into an open net for his second goal of the day and third of the season.
- Ormiston turned back UAH's final shot in the 88th minute, again by Moreno at close range, this time punching the ball away on a strike to the right post.
NOTES AND NUMBERS
- The Chargers came into the match winless, but had fallen to a pair of ranked teams - No. 5 Lander (S.C.) and No. 20 Lynn - by a single goal.
- After Ormiston's third clean sheet of the season, the Tritons have allowed only one goal in 360 minutes of regulation time. Ormiston stopped a season-high six shots in the win.
- Eckerd held a slight 17-15 edge in total shots while UAH took more shots on goal by a 6-5 margin.
- Five of Eckerd's seven goals this season have been scored by freshmen (Bauer 3, Mejias 1, Frederik Klausen 1).
UP NEXT
Eckerd's busy home stretch continues on Tuesday hosting Johnson & Wales (Fla.) at 7:00 PM at Johnson Field.
