Men's Soccer Falls to 0-2 In A-Sun With 2-0 Loss to FGCU

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Belmont men's soccer team (3-7-0, 0-2-0) fell to Florida Gulf Coast (6-2-2, 2-0-0) by a score of 2-0 to fall to 0-2 in Atlantic Sun action on Sunday afternoon.  Sophomore Lou Manning (Southlake, Texas) recorded seven saves in the contest to keep the match scoreless for the first 57 minutes.

"In the first half we were very good," Head Coach Earle Davidson said.  "That's a team that is ranked in the south and they're a really strong group.  I thought we went toe for toe with them in the first half."  

Neither team was able to take an advantage in the opening frame.  The Eagles outshot Belmont eight to four, and recorded five corner kicks to the Bruins' zero, but they only forced Manning to make one save in the half.  FGCU's Adam Glick tallied two saves in the first period.

Florida Gulf Coast finally got on the board in the 58th minute of play.  Junior midfielder Francesco DiStefano played a long corner kick over the box to freshman Donovan Henry.  Henry controlled the ball and fired a shot near post that squeaked by Manning and over the goal line.  The score marked the first in Henry's collegiate career.

After fighting to hang with the Eagles, BU ended up on the wrong end of the second and final goal of the game in the 71st minute.  FGCU's Josey Portillo played a beautiful ball behind the Bruin defense that found a streaking William Morse.  Morse, who finished the match with five shots on goal, put this one away placing it perfectly at the far post.

The 2-0 lead was all Florida Gulf Coast needed to improve to 2-0 in Atlantic Sun competition.  The Bruins had a couple of near chances down the stretch, but nothing successful, as the Eagles left Nashville with the victory.  FGCU totaled 22 shots to Belmont's six in the match.  The Eagles also recorded seven corners, while BU tallied only two.  Manning finished the contest with seven stops, while Glick tallied three.

"In the second half we kind of lost our focus and didn't bring the same energy that we have been showing lately," Davidson said.  "We've got to be better in the attacking third.  We've been really good all the way until that attacking third, and we're just not accomplishing what we need to accomplish."

Belmont will next head back on the road to take on North Florida and Jacksonville in A-Sun competition.  BU will be at the Ospreys on October 8 at 6:00 p.m. and at the Dolphins on October 10 at 12:00 p.m.