DELAND, Fla. – The Embry-Riddle men's soccer team lost its non-conference finale 6-1 to Stetson on Tuesday night. It was the first meeting between the two programs since 1993.
Stetson used a long, accurate pass to get on the scoreboard first. A Hatter defender launched the ball from Stetson's defensive side to Nelson Pereira, who stood in the middle of the Eagles' defensive line. Following a high bounce, he headed the ball over Embry-Riddle's keeper and into the net for a score in the 29th minute.
Five minutes later, a turnover by the Eagles on their own side of the field led to a fast-break opportunity for the Hatters. Pereira sprinted up the left side of the field and crossed the ball in front of the net to Alex Turner, who snuck it inside of the left post to double Stetson's lead.
Embry-Riddle's deficit continued to grow after the break. In the 47th minute, the Hatters' Myers Colton stood near the left corner on Stetson's offensive side of the field and lifted a ball into the box to Pereira, who sent a header to the back of the net.
Pereira completed the hat-trick one minute later when he received a pass from Alessandro Gabbani, dribbled past the goaltender, and tapped the ball into the open net for a 4-0 Hatter lead.
Ajmeer Spengler gave Stetson its fifth goal of the night when his free kick glided over the Eagles' defensive wall and over the goal line just out of the reach of a diving
Jack Crichton in the 60th minute.
Thomas Loesel was subbed in as the new keeper for Embry-Riddle and made a spectacular save within a minute of entering the match. Loesel blocked a shot from outside the penalty area, but the deflected ball went right to a Hatter standing about two feet in front of him. The Stetson attacker tried to knock the ball in off his shin, but Loesel took a step forward, stuck his right hand out, and sent the shot out of bounds for another save.
The Eagles were able to get on the board in the 82nd minute when
Teddy West scored his third goal of the season with a successful penalty kick. Unfortunately, the Hatters followed with another goal two minutes later to move the score to 6-1.
Olav Olsen Aamlid,
Sandro Henning and
Teddy West each recorded a shot for Embry-Riddle while
Thomas Loesel led the team in saves with three.
The Eagles shift their focus toward Sunshine State Conference play as Embry-Riddle visits Saint Leo on Saturday at 7 p.m.
The 2021 Embry-Riddle Men's Soccer season is presented by Radiology Associates.
