Box Score WINTER PARK, Fla. – The Nova Southeastern University men's soccer team (5-4-1, 2-3-0 SSC) went to extra time with the Rollins Tars (7-4-1, 3-2-1 SSC) but lost, 4-3, Wednesday at the Barker Family Stadium.
NSU continued its aggressive play to start matches Wednesday and it paid off in the 14th minute.
Victor Cardoso (Sr., Sao Paulo, Brazil) earned his first goal in the run of play this year on a one-touch shot from in front of the goal.
Victor Nirennold (So., Rennes, France) sent a pinpoint cross in from the right side that found Cardoso just 15 yards from the goal. The score gave Nirennold his first assist with NSU.
Rollins had not recorded a shot before NSU scored, and despite pushing forward relentlessly, only recorded one shot over the first 23 minutes. The Tars would break that spell with a rocket from Tosan Popo. NSU goalkeeper
Andrea Giombetti (Sr., Rome, Italy) made a diving one-handed save to keep his squad ahead. It would be the last Rollins' strike of the half.
Guido Riffeser (Jr., Bolzano, Italy) checked into the match in the 35th minute and the substitution proved to be a great decision. Just 90 seconds into his run, a series of deflected shots allowed the junior to fire into an open net for his first goal of the season. The assist was credited to Cardoso, who now holds two goals and three assists for seven points this year, good for second on the team.
The Sharks stayed relentless and in the 40th minute, went up by a third goal. After the Tars quelled a Shark attack, reigning Sunshine State Conference Defensive Player of the Week Parker Sweeney rushed out of position to toss the ball out of danger. The ball landed at the feet of freshman
Emilio Blanco (Weston, Fla.), who looped the ball over a crowded box and into the opposite corner of the net. It was the Broward County native's second goal in three matches.
NSU headed into the second half with an 8-2 advantage in shots taken, but that trend would end at the start of the half. Rollins doubled their shot output in the first five minutes and scored in the 49th minute on a goal from Rob Crowley. Three minutes later, Rollins' Tomas Coulter scored another that put the Tars right back in the match.
The equalizer came in the 60th minute, with Popo striking the ball off the crossbar and into the net. After six goals in 60 minutes, the match was up for grabs with 30 minutes left in regulation. The final third of regulation was a back and forth struggle that neither team could take advantage of, which sent the match into extra time.
The sudden death overtime period lasted just under four minutes, as Skyler Russell put the Tars ahead on the team's first shot on goal of extra time. The score came on a through ball from Grant Blackhurst, with the shot slipping just passed NSU's grasp.
NSU will look to bounce back this Saturday on the road against the Tampa Spartans at 7 p.m.
