MIAMI (August 31, 2012) – The FIU men’s soccer team (2-0-0) defeated the North Florida Ospreys, 2-1, Friday evening in Jacksonville, Fla. With the win, the Panthers are off to their best start since the 2000 season.

“This game was another step in the right direction for our team,” Head Coach Kenny Arena said. “Being on the road is always challenging and I was proud of the fact that our guys got stronger as the game went on. We moved the ball well, created chances and were unlucky not to score a few more. Overall, North Florida did a great job making this a battle. We're happy to come out on top and we're looking forward to another good opponent on Sunday.”

FIU’s Quentin Albrecht is off to an impressive start to the season, scoring two more goals to bring his 2012 total to four, just one shy of his career season-high of five set a year ago as a freshman. Nicolas Rodriguez added two assists, giving him a team-high three for the season. Colby Burdette also registered an assist, his first of the season.

After UNF scored in the 13^th minute of the match, the Panthers netted the equalizer in the 39^th minute when Albrecht scored the header on a cross from Rodriguez into the right corner of the net.

In the second half, FIU came out strong and put away the eventual game-winner in the 49^th minute when Albrecht scored his second goal of the game dribbling past the UNF defender and chipped the ball over the keeper. Rodriguez and Burdette were credited with assists on the score.

The Panthers’ back line, led by senior captains Anthony Hobbs and Joseph Dawkins helped limit the Ospreys to just one shot on goal with freshman keeper Robin Spiegel notching his second career victory.

FIU next faces the Jacksonville Dolphins on Sunday at 3:30 p.m. The match came be seen live on A-Sun.tv free of charge.

For ticket information to FIU home matches, call the FIU Ticket Office at 305-FIU-GAME or log onto www.FIUSports.com. Fans can follow @FIUMensSoccer on Twitter and find us on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/FIUMensSoccer. Fans can also watch all FIU men’s soccer home matches live on FIUSports.com on our free webcasts.

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About FIU Athletics: FIU Athletics is home to more than 400 student-athletes in 18 different sports. Athletic events are played in seven different venues on FIU's campuses (Modesto A. Maidique and Biscayne Bay), including U.S. Century Bank Arena and Alfonso Field at FIU Stadium.

About FIU: Florida International University is recognized as a Carnegie engaged university. Its colleges and schools offer more than 180 bachelors, masters and doctoral programs in fields such as engineering, international relations, architecture, law and medicine. As one of South Florida’s anchor institutions, FIU is worlds ahead in its local and global engagement, finding solutions to the most challenging problems of our time. FIU emphasizes research as a major component of its mission and enrolls nearly 48,000 students in two campuses and three centers including FIU Downtown on Brickell and the Miami Beach Urban Studios. More than 140,000 alumni live and work in South Florida. For more information about FIU, visit http://www.fiu.edu/.

 

 

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