FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The Nova Southeastern University men's soccer team (3-1-1) returns to the NSU Soccer Complex Wednesday to face the Florida Tech Panthers (2-2) in a nonconference match at 6 p.m.
Fans of all NSU teams are encouraged to attend the event, as the three NCAA South Region Champions from the 2012-13 season (men's cross country, women's basketball and men's golf) will be recognized at halftime. The athletic department will also host a halftime contest with prizes for fans.
The NSU men's soccer team is five games into the season and off to its best start in five seasons. The Sharks have faced tough competition early on, with the slate no tougher than last week. NSU faced the defending NCAA National Champions, No. 6 Lynn, at home and traveled to face No 18 Tampa. The results were positive for Sharks fans, as NSU clobbered Lynn, 4-1, before holding the high-powered Spartans to a scoreless draw.
For their efforts, the Sharks swept this past week's Sunshine State Conference Men's Soccer Players of the Week awards.
Austin Foor (Fr., Sunbury, Ohio) won the offensive accolade for scoring two goals against Lynn, including the first of the match.
Andrea Giombetti (Jr., Rome) was honored on the defensive side for what was a near-flawless week, right in line with how his season has gone so far. The NSU backline has been phenomenal this year, but when the ball gets through to Giombetti, he has been incredibly efficient. On the year, He has only allowed just over one goal for every two matches played.
The Sharks will attempt to keep the momentum going, with the road ahead maintaining the same level of difficulty as the past five matches. After Florida Tech, the Sharks will play three-straight matches on the road. It is the longest road trip of the season and will include a rematch against the defending national champions.
Florida Tech has had a rollercoaster start to the season, holding a .500 record early. The Panthers won their first two matches by a combined score of 10-1 against St. Thomas and Georgia Southwestern. The pendulum swung the other way when they faced SSC opponents, losing to Rollins and Barry by a combined score of 8-1.
NSU will also be looking to buck their trend against Florida Tech in recent years. Despite nine wins over the Panthers in program history, NSU is on a six-match losing streak against Florida Tech. That streak included a heartbreaking loss last season to Florida Tech, when the Sharks gave up three leads to lose, 4-3, in double overtime.
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