LAKELAND, Fla. – In a matter of minutes, the Embry-Riddle men's soccer team went from feeling hopeful to deflated to relieved as three goals in the final 2:24 of the match led to a 3-3 tie with Florida Southern on Wednesday. The two teams were originally scheduled to battle on Sept. 28 at Berend Field, but Hurricane Ian forced the match to be postponed.
 
The Eagles (2-5-3, 0-3-2 Sunshine State Conference) maintained a 2-1 lead from the 53rd minute up until 87:36 when the Mocs (2-3-4, 0-2-2 SSC) tied it. Then at 88:52, FSC snatched the lead. Noah Sims salvaged a point for ERAU when he leveled the score with 36 seconds remaining.
 
It was the most goals in a match for the Eagles since the 2021 season opener on Sept. 4. On top of that, the draw was ERAU's third of the season, the most in a year since 2016.
 
After going down a goal just 62 seconds into the match against Nova Southeastern last Saturday, the Eagles once again faced an early deficit when Florida Southern struck with only 2:07 off the clock.
 
ERAU nearly had a response just minutes later when Sandro Henning took a tight-angled shot from almost right on top of the endline on the left side. The ball rolled along the ground and squeaked past the keeper, spinning just inches away from the goal line before the goalie was able to reach his arm out and stop it.
 
In the 21st minute, Jano Baxmann dribbled through three defenders and found Henning unguarded on the right side of the box. Baxmann passed him the ball, and Henning tapped it in for his third score of the season.
 
At 26:34, ERAU's starting keeper Thomas Loesel kept the match squared at one with an incredible save. A close-up shot sped through the air at the Eagles' goalie, but he stuck his left arm out just in time to push the shot wide.
 
The remainder of the period was quiet as both squads combined for six shots and no goals.
 
It took the Blue and Gold nearly eight minutes to record its first shot of the second period, but the Eagles made the most of it. Andrew Grossman used a throw-in to launch the ball to Eden Bokobza in the right side of the box. The sophomore used his right arm to block off a FSC defender as he dribbled toward the center of the box. Six Mocs converged on the striker, but Bokobza quickly released the shot from about 10 feet out, leaving no time for the goalkeeper to save it.
 
The Omer, Israel, native joined Henning in picking up a third goal of the season.
 
Seth Conway nearly made it two goals on two shots for ERAU at 63:32 when Baxmann sent a ball through the Mocs' defensive line to the sprinting Conway. He took a few touches and attempted to push his shot past the keeper from point blank range, but the goalie dropped to the ground and stretched out his legs to block it.
 
FSC came close to finding an equalizer a few minutes later when Loesel stopped a bouncing shot but couldn't collect the ball. It rebounded out to a Moccasin standing in the middle of the box. The FSC attacker shot the ball, but it glided only inches over the crossbar.
 
Embry-Riddle used sound defense to maintain the slim lead. The Eagles prevented the Mocs from earning close looks from inside the box for a majority of the remainder of the match. When FSC did attempt to score, Loesel was there to end any hope as he recorded four saves.
 
However, the Mocs took a venomous bite into ERAU's winning hopes during the dying moments of the contest. FSC scored in both the 88th and 89th minutes to go from a one-goal deficit to a one-goal lead.
 
Fortunately, Noah Sims made sure the Eagles didn't go home empty-handed. Luke Monaghan sent a last-chance pass up the pitch to Amit Libgot on the left side. Libgot deflected the pass to Noah Sims while it was still in the air, and Sims raced after the ball. The Mocs' goalie ran out collect it before the senior reached it, but Sims used his speed to get a touch on it before the keeper arrived and pushed it through to the back of the net to tie the match.
 
It's the second SSC point earned by Embry-Riddle this season. The Eagles also tied Eckerd earlier in the year.
 
Bokobza, Henning and Sims tallied goals for the Blue and Gold while Baxmann, Grossman, Libgot, and Monaghan earned an assist each. It was Grossman's and Monaghan's first point as an Eagle. Additionally, Henning led the team in shots (2) and shots on goal (2). Loesel grabbed another five saves in the net to add on to his league-leading total of 53.
 
Embry-Riddle is back home on Saturday, Oct. 8 for a meeting with Saint Leo at 7 p.m. The Eagles will look to stay unbeaten at the ERAU Soccer Stadium after recording two wins and a tie so far through the season. The 2022 Embry-Riddle Men's Soccer season is presented by Radiology Associates.