HOLLYWOOD, Fla—The No. 21 Embry-Riddle men's soccer team came away with a critical 2-1 Sun Conference victory over Florida Memorial Wednesday afternoon at Dowdy Field. The Eagles used 10 saves from goalkeeper and Sun Conference Defensive Player of the Week Nils Carlson and a goal in each half to get past the Lions on a cloudy and rainy day in south Florida.   

Play was even and very physical between the 21st-ranked Eagles (9-3-1, 5-1-0) and the Lions (9-5-1, 6-2-1) throughout much of the first half, but it was Embry-Riddle that got on the board first.

In the 14th-minute of play, the Eagles Michael Donald took a ball deep into Lions territory on the left side of the pitch. Donald then gave it off to Sun Conference Offensive Player of the Week, Ally MacDonald and MacDonald sent a ball towards the middle of the field just outside the 18-yard box. Lion's goalkeeper Daniel DeSouza attempted to come out of net to stop the cross from MacDonald, but he dove over the ball and the Eagles capitalized. Nicklas Petersson gathered the misplay and put it in an open net to give Embry-Riddle a 1-0 advantage.

The score stayed in favor of the Eagles going into halftime as neither team was able to score for the remainder of the first half.  Each team was able to get off seven shots a piece and the physicality of the game was unmistakable.  Florida Memorial racked up 10 fouls and was carded with cautions four times in the first half, while the Eagles were given one caution and called for seven fouls.

The intensity of the contest only escalated as play in the second half began. The Eagles dominated much of the possession early and were able to pick up their second goal of the afternoon in the 74th-minute after Mcley Similien, of Florida Memorial, was issued  his second caution of the match and sent off the pitch. The foul took place on the right side of the field just outside the 18-yard box for the Blue and Gold. The free kick off of the foot of midfielder Sam Fairhurst found Anel Coralic who collected and ripped a shot past DeSouza in the top right corner of the net.

The Lions finally got on the board just 10 minutes later when Marcelo Barbosa fired a shot that deflected off of Eagle keeper Nils Carlson and found Emmanuel Adejo wide open to put the score at 2-1.
 
Florida Memorial had several opportunities to score throughout the second half, out shooting the Eagles 12-7, but nine second half saves by Carlson stopped the Lions from coming away with more than one goal. A total of 36 fouls, 19 for Florida Memorial and 17 for Embry-Riddle, were called in the match and Carlson ended the contest with 10 saves. The Eagles totaled 14 shots and were able to hold off a late comeback from the Lions for a 2-1 victory.

The Eagle men will play again on Saturday Oct. 22 when they travel to Ave Maria for a Sun Conference match up against the Gyrenes.