DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Three second-half goals propelled the Embry-Riddle women's soccer team to a 3-0 win against Florida Southern (13-2-4) in the second round of the NCAA II South Region tournament, Sunday at the Embry-Riddle Soccer Stadium. With the win the top-seeded Eagles (14-0-5) advanced to the round of 16 where they will face No. 3 seed West Florida.
The regular season meeting between Sunshine State Conference regular season champions Florida Southern and the tournament champions Embry-Riddle ended in a 1-1 tie with both goals coming in the first half. In that contest, the Lady Mocs scored in the fourth minute but in Sunday's game, the ERAU defense held a prolific Lady Moc offense scoreless, while the Eagle offense scored three goals in quick succession with all three coming within a seven-minute span in the second half.
The Eagles put the pressure on the Lady Mocs from the first whistle, keeping the visitors pinned in their defensive half for much of the frame as evidenced by an 8-3 shot advantage. ERAU had five chances in the first 25 minutes, two of which forced FSC goalkeeper Jenny Staten to come up with big saves. ERAU netminder
Oona Jokinen was also tested on a shot by Caitlyn Lowery, but she was up to the challenge and the first half ended in a scoreless draw.
The start of the second half saw both team battling for possession with neither side creating clear-cut chances on goal. In the 64th minute, the Lady Mocs won a free kick that made its way to Lowery in the box. Lowery turned to take a quick shot, but once again, Jokinen came up with a game-saving stop as her kick save kept FSC off the board in a game that felt like one goal would be the difference-maker.
In the 72nd minute, ERAU Head Coach
Liam McIlhatton made the decision to bring
Ria Vlachos into the game off the bench.
Julia Adeback took the free throw that allowed Vlachos to enter the game and got the ball to
Savanna Sheahan who found a wide-open
Sofia Munthe Nilsson. Munthe Nilsson lifted a cross into the box where Vlachos took advantage of Staten being screened by
Moa Karlsson to tap home the first goal of her collegiate career to give the Blue and Gold a 1-0 lead.
Vlachos was involved in the Eagles' second goal five minutes later. The ball made its way to Vlachos following a throw-in from the right side, and the freshman tapped the ball into the box where
Isabelle Navren was making a run. The Lady Mocs' last defender tried to clear the ball but her attempt ricocheted off Navren and into the net to double the Eagle lead to 2-0.
A scant two minutes later, the Vlachos/Navren combo struck again. The time, Vlachos received the ball on the left side and deftly lifted the ball into the box. Navren, who made a run down the right side into the box, took a touch to cut the ball inside and drilled her eighth goal of the season past Staten to seal the Eagle win.
Jokinen finished with four saves on the day, while Staten pulled in three saves in the Florida Southern effort.
The date and time for the Eagles' Sweet 16 game against West Florida are yet to be determined.
The 2022 Embry-Riddle women's soccer season is presented by Radiology Associates
