Men’s soccer makes a comeback

Mikaela Queen

After a historic season last fall, Florida Southern men’s soccer looks to bring the fire back to the team.

Head coach Jason Carlson said that the incoming class brings strong additions to the team building upon the returning roster. He feels that the players have stepped up and believes that a number of the freshman will compete to play right away. 

Carlson hopes to continue to grow the program and wants to see the team make it further in the conference tournament and into the NCAA tournament. 

“We as a coaching staff believe that we have a great group of guys who are just getting to know each other.” Carlson said, “We are looking forward to see how this group comes together.” 

The team started their season with a roadtrip to Alabama to play Montevallo and No. 20 Spring Hill. 

The Mocs took on Montevallo on Sept. 6 and both teams walked away with a double-overtime 0-0 tie. The team took 14 shots with five of them being on goal. Anton Lindbom started the game off with a header off a free kick just seven minutes into the game, but the shot was saved by Falcons goalkeeper Robert Kuta. James Meehan and Claus Lehland each take a shot within minutes of each other and yet again the ball was stopped by Kuta. The Falcons took their first shoot in the 27th minute, but were unable to get it past Philip Faderl. 

The Mocs defensively shut down the Falcons in the second half not allowing anything in the net. With five minuets left in regulation, Faderl saves a shot by Cyprien N’goma maintaining a 0-0 game. During the first overtime, the Mocs took several shots including a corner kick, but were unable to score. With both teams still scoreless at the end of 10 extra minutes, the game went into double-overtime and neither team was able to score. 

Two days after their tie with Montevallo, Florida Southern looked to put their first win in the book against No. 20 Spring Hill, but were unsuccessful. After making a comeback off an early lead from the Badgers, the Mocs fell 2-4 on Sept. 8. 

A goal by Diogo Sousa in the 15th minute of the game put Spring Hill on the board. The Mocs defense couldn’t stop the Badgers as Donte Oliver scored just three minutes later. 

The rest of the first half was scoreless for both teams as the Mocs went into halftime down by two. Less than 10 minutes into the second half, the Badgers saw the back of the net again and the Mocs responded to it with a goal by Julian Jordan-Canosa five minutes later. Spring Hill shot another one in four minutes after Canosa’s goal increasing their lead by two. 

Christoph Gums was able to score with less than 10 minutes left in the game, but it wasn’t enough for the Mocs to make a come back. 

On Sept. 13, the Mocs played at Moccasin Field for the first time of the 2019 season and walked away with a 1-0 victory over Limestone. Junior Alberto Diaz scored off a corner kick from Lehland in the 19th minute. 

The Mocs energy stayed high throughout the first half, carrying them into halftime with a 1-0 lead. Limestone came into the second half attacking the net. Faderl was tested with 10 total shots and earned his first shutout as he stopped all of them. 

The team traveled to Melbourne, Fl to play Aubrun Montgomery (AMU) on Sept. 15. Senior Mason Comer scored his first goal of the season, but it wasn’t enough for the Mocs to conquer the Warhawks as they fell 1-2.  

Meehan attacked early, taking a shot 42 seconds after kick off, but was stoped by Warhawk goalkeeper Alexander Kraus. AMU scored twice early in the game putting a lead over the Mocs. With 15 minutes left in the first half, Edu Capote passed to Comer who put it in the back of the net. 

The Mocs played the second half of the game shooting at the net. Kraus stopped all of the Mocs intentions to score and held the Warhawk win. 

The will return to Moccasin field tomorrow to start conference play with a game against Palm Beach Atlantic at 7 p.m.