MIAMI GARDENS, Fla.— The 20th-ranked Embry-Riddle men's soccer team fell to conference rival St. Thomas, 2-1 Wednesday afternoon at Bobcat Field. The Bobcats (3-6-0, 2-0-0) used an early second half goal to slip past the Eagles (5-3-1, 2-1-0) in a physical battle.

Emotions were flying high for both teams coming into today's match-up as this was a rematch of last year's conference semifinal game that the Bobcats won, 5-3 in penalty kicks.

St. Thomas got going early as they scored just two minutes into the contest.  The Bobcats earned a free kick just outside of the 18-yard box on the right side of the field after a foul was called on Embry-Riddle midfielder Sam Fairhurst. Guillermo Huaman of STU lined up to take the free kick and booted it towards the net. The ball looked to be a cross, but a misplay by the Eagle defense and goalkeeper Nils Carlson let the ball get through and put the Bobcats up, 1-0.

The Eagles had multiple chances to score on the Bobcat defense throughout the first half, but  Adam Green, the Bobcat keeper, made two outstanding diving saves in the 25th minute and again in the 28th minute that kept the Eagles at bay until the 30th minute.
The Blue and Gold answered at the 30:32 mark when a ball from NAIA National Offensive Player of the Week Veit Couturier found Viktor Gudnason on a run. Gudnason took the pass from Couturier and put it past the Bobcat keeper to knot the score at 1-1.    

Both teams were unable to score in the remaining 15 minutes and the score was tied at one apiece heading into the locker room. The Eagles fired 11 shots (six on goal), had two corners and were flagged for one yellow card in the first half. The Bobcats took five shots, all five of which were on goal, and were also flagged for a yellow card.

Physical play continued right from the whistle as the second half began. In the 54th minute, the Bobcats were awarded a corner kick on the left side of the field. Huaman took the kick for STU and lofted it towards the middle of the box. The ball flicked off of St. Thomas' Shardy Sanon towards the back post and found Mario Mata who put it in the back of the net, just out of the reach of Carlson.

Already down 2-1, the Eagles' misfortunes continued when they went a man down in the 71st minute after Fairhurst collected his second yellow card of the game. Fairhurst was sent off and it was 10 on 11.

For the rest of the game, St. Thomas went into a defensive set to prevent the Blue and Gold from scoring. Even though the Eagles got off eight shots and controlled much of the possession throughout the second half, they were unable to answer. The Eagles bested the Bobcats 19-7 in shots, but couldn't come out on top, falling 2-1.  

The physical play was evident as 33 fouls, eight yellow cards, and a red card were given in the match. Embry-Riddle collected four, along with the red, and the Bobcats also were given four.

The Eagle men will return to the pitch again with hopes of getting back to their winning ways when they host Webber International Saturday Oct. 1 at 7 p.m.