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FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The Nova Southeastern men’s soccer team will rekindle an old rivalry as the Sharks host the St. Thomas Bobcats this Wednesday, Oct. 19 at 7 p.m. at the NSU Soccer Complex.

Today, the Sharks’ compete every season with the likes of Tampa, Lynn, Barry and the rest of the Sunshine State Conference. However, it is easy to forget that just a decade ago NSU was a member of the NAIA’s Florida Sun Conference. The Knights, NSU’s mascot before 2005, were dominant during their last decade in the FSC as the athletic department won 26 conference championships from 1992-2002.

The men’s soccer team claimed two of those in 1995 and 1997 as they took the title from teams such as current Peach Belt member Flagler and current FSC member Embry-Riddle. Despite the strong competition from around the state, NSU’s biggest rival was St. Thomas. Located just 17 miles away, these two teams have competed in some of the most heated matches in program history. In fact, St. Thomas once fouled NSU a school-record 37 times in a match in 2001.

“We’re looking forward to our game against St Thomas,” said head coach Giuseppe DePalo. “They are always motivated to play against us, and the match this year should be no different. The fact that we are close geographically makes it an intense atmosphere. We’ve had some classics through the years”

Wednesday’s match will mark the 32nd meeting between NSU and St. Thomas which will make St. Thomas NSU’s most common opponent in program history. All-time, the Sharks are 18-10-3 against St. Thomas. However, this record is not reflective of how much trouble the Bobcats have given the Sharks since NSU left the FSC in 2002

In 2002, the first year in which NSU competed in the NCAA, a 1-4-1 St. Thomas team pushed NSU to the brink and led by a goal late in the match. The Sharks came back to win, 4-3, as Adam Ludden scored two goals in the final five minutes. Seven yellow cards were given out in one of the closest and heated matches in the rivalry’s history.

In 2004, NSU thumped St. Thomas, 4-1, in its last blowout win over the Bobcats. Lorcan Cronin made his mark on the storied rivalry as he scored two goals and picked up an assist. The win helped convince the national poll voters to place NSU 15th in the country the next week. It was the last time the Sharks did not struggle to fend off the Bobcats as they have not scored multiple goals in regulation time against St. Thomas since.

The Sharks picked up one goal victories in 2007 and 2008 against the Bobcats. In 2007, Romain Onteniente scored two goals, including a golden goal in the 99th minute, and went on to win the program’s only SSC Player of the Year award. In 2008, the Sharks escaped with a win as former captain Craig Heenighan scored inside the box on a cross from Tim Taylor for the match’s only goal.

That was the last time the Sharks were able to defeat the Bobcats as the teams battled to a 1-1 draw in 2009 and a scoreless effort last season. The Sharks’ last goal against the Bobcats came from Onteniente who scored in his final match at the NSU Soccer Complex.

Wednesday’s match will hold no weight in the SSC standings and will not even count as a regional game for the Sharks. However, history has proven that this match will be as hotly contested as any this season. Wednesday night’s match will give 16 newcomers a chance to carve their place in the men’s soccer team’s oldest rivalry.

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