DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - The 16th-ranked Embry-Riddle Eagles returned home to Daytona Beach on Wednesday after a two-game road trip to South Florida, and although the venue may have changed, the Eagles' winning ways did not as the Blue and Gold secured a 3-0 win over visiting Southeastern in Sun Conference action. Embry-Riddle (7-1, 5-0) controlled the game from the start, holding the Fire to just eight shots, with two on goal, for the squad's fourth shutout of 2013. The Fire (5-5-2, 1-3-1) failed to register a shot on frame in the second period as the Eagles turned a one-goal advantage into a 3-0 victory over the final 45 minutes.
The Eagles recorded three consecutive corner kicks in the fourth minute of play, but the Fire defense held steady and it was Southeastern who had the best first chance of the contest when Sun Conference assist leader Ashton Hicks broke away from the Embry-Riddle defense and had a one-on-one with
Nils Carlson. The goalkeeper from Vastra, Sweden made his only save of the night in open play when Hicks' shot came right at him, keeping the game level in the early going.
For several minutes after Carlson's save, neither team was able to generate much of an attack, and it took until the 27th minute for the Eagles to record their first shot on goal. After a punt from SEU's keeper,
Veit Couturier controlled the ball in the middle of the field, finding some space and placing a perfect cross to a streaking
Nicklas Petersson who slotted home his fifth goal of the season to give Embry-Riddle a 1-0 lead.
Both Petersson and fellow senior
Viktor Gudnason had shots miss their targets over the next few moments, and the missed opportunities almost looked to be costly as the Fire earned a penalty kick in the 38th minute after the referee judged an Eagle committed a foul in the box.
Josh Frame took the penalty for Southeastern, but for the second time this season Carlson was up to the challenge, extending to his right to make the save and keep the momentum in the Eagles' favor.
The rest of the period was owned by the hosts and the Eagles took a 1-0 lead into the half.
Ally MacDonald nearly cemented the Eagle advantage with a header in the 47th minute after the break, but his shot clanged off the left post. Leon duplicated MacDonald's post shot with one of his own in the 67th minute, and that would prove to be the final good chance for the visitors the rest of the match.
Substitute
Marcus Starke became the first American to score for the Eagles in 2013 when he finished off a play started by
Sigurbergur Elisson in the 75th minute. Elisson won a free ball in the middle of the field, carried it forward into the SEU penalty area and dished it to Starke on the right side for the sophomore's first score, extending the Eagle lead to 2-0.
A few minutes later Starke returned the favor, finding Elisson just outside the box and the freshman from Iceland did the rest, taking a dribble before burying his shot for his fourth score as a rookie.
Carlson, who was not tested in the second period, earned his 16th career shutout, moving just one behind Eagle great Viktor Bergstrand for first on the all-time shutout list. His goals-against-average dipped to 1.12 for the year.
The home team enjoyed a 15-8 shot advantage with a 7-2 lead in shots on goal and a 9-3 edge in corner kicks.
The Eagles stay in Daytona for a home date against Ave Maria (1-9, 0-4) on Saturday beginning at 7 p.m.
