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Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Athletics

2022 Seniors 102822 _TSM9141
Tavana Mercado
3
Winner Florida Tech FIT (8-0-6, 5-0-5)
1
Embry-Riddle ERAUM (2-10-3, 0-8-2)
Winner
Florida Tech FIT
(8-0-6, 5-0-5)
3
Final
1
Embry-Riddle ERAUM
(2-10-3, 0-8-2)
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Florida Tech FIT 2 1 3
Embry-Riddle ERAUM 0 1 1

Game Recap: Men's Soccer | | Kyrin Mayfield | @k_mayfield97

Men’s Soccer Falls to No. 9 Panthers 3-1 on Senior Night

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Seniors Louis Walker, Mattia Dabalá, Andrew Grossman, Jack Crichton, Noah Sims, and Kyle Tarbox were celebrated at halftime during the Embry-Riddle men's soccer team's 3-1 loss to undefeated No. 9 Florida Tech on Saturday. It was the second meeting of the season between the two programs and the Eagles' (2-10-3, 0-8-2 Sunshine State Conference) first battle of the year against a ranked opponent. The Panthers (8-0-6, 5-0-5 SSC) took the season-opening matchup 1-0 back on Aug. 25.

It was a defensive start to the match for the Eagles as Florida Tech was responsible for the first six shots. In the eighth minute, the Panthers used a header to the left side of the net to start the scoring. 

In the 14th minute, Thomas Loesel, the starting goalkeeper for all of Embry-Riddle's 15 contests in 2022, made a heroic save to keep the deficit at one. Florida Tech passed the ball multiple times inside the box before a Panther attacker ripped a shot from the left side. Loesel dropped to his knees and deflected the shot wide of the right post.

However, Florida Tech notched another goal in the 31st minute to put the Eagles behind 2-0. 

With five minutes left in the first half, Tom Shepherd registered the Blue and Gold's first shot of the night when a Panther defender knocked down a cross, but the ball deflected to Shepherd at the top of the box on the left side. Shepherd took a touch and fired away, but the ball sailed high over the crossbar. The two-score deficit remained into the break.

Loesel made another save in the early stages of the second period when a Panther attempted a lengthy shot from 10 feet outside the box. The sophomore read the ball the entire way and, despite its high velocity, managed to punch it away. 

Unfortunately, Florida Tech scored a third goal at 74:17, but Embry-Riddle responded with under four minutes remaining. Konstantin Kosoric moved the ball up the pitch to Shepherd, who raced into the attacking zone along with Seth Conway and Eden Bokobza. Conway sprinted past a defending Panther and caught up to a pass from Shepherd. The Chesterton, Indiana, native saw the keeper overcommit and crossed the ball across the box to Bokobza, who finished the attack with a shot through the bottom right corner. 

It was Bokobza's fourth goal of the year which made him just the fourth Eagle since 2017 to score four or more times in a season. Shepherd earned his second assist of 2022 while Conway grabbed his first career point as a member of the Blue and Gold with his assist on Bokobza's goal.

Shepherd led the squad in shots with two. Loesel finished as the conference leader in saves with 66 thanks to three stops on Saturday, just one away from tying for 10th on the program's single-season saves list.  

The 2022 season comes to a close for Embry-Riddle. The Eagles head into the offseason with their sights set on preparing for 2023 and what will be head coach Dave Gregson's 30th year at the helm of the program.
The 2022 Embry-Riddle Men's Soccer season is presented by Radiology Associates.
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