Men’s Soccer Forces the Draw Against Stetson in 44th Meeting

DELAND, Fla. – The Florida Atlantic University men’s soccer team (4-5-1) got their first draw of the season at Stetson (7-5-2), as both teams were held off the scoreboard, 0-0. This marks the first draw since 2016 for the Owls, who faced their former ASUN opponent for the 44th time Wednesday night in DeLand, Florida.

How it was Decided:

The Owls got off to a slow start in the first period, as they were unable to get a shot off until the 28th minute, which was done so by Alex Alexis. Despite the slow start, the Owls were able to tie with the Hatters in shots 6-6, while Daniel Ragoo came up with three of his seven saves in the period.

Stetson had all of the momentum in the second half, outshooting the Owls 9-4 in the period. The Owls’ best opportunity in regulation came at the 81st minute after a great setup by Tom Abrahamsson, but the shot came off wide for Joe O’Sullivan. In the 90th minute, Alexis was issued a red card, which put the Owls down a man for the rest of regulation and overtime.

Both teams put up four shots apiece between the two overtime periods with Edgardo Obregon. Ivan Mykhailenko and Arturo Ernand coming up with potential opportunities for a shorthanded goal. The Hatters had good looks all night, but the Owls backline got the job done and Ragoo was credited with the blank sheet.

Coach Worthen’s Take:

“I’m really proud of how hard the guys worked tonight,” said head coach Joey Worthen. “They never quit, even playing down a man. We came into the game looking to win, but in the end, a draw on the road against a good team with a man down and to not concede a goal says a lot about our guys! This experience will help us going into the second half of conference play!”

Of Note:

  • In his fifth start of the season, Ragoo came up with several stops for the Owls, recording seven saves on the night for the blank sheet. The shutout was the first of his career
  • Jean Paul Rafols led the way in shots with three taken on the night. Alexis and O’Sullivan both took two shots in the game, with Alexis’ being on goal
  • Ivan Mykhailenko and Jose Alastuey both recorded a shot on goal
  • FAU forced its first draw since 2016, which was a 1-1 match against Wisconsin
  • The last time this matchup against the Hatters ended in a draw was in the 2014 season with a 1-1 score

Up Next:

FAU has an important Conference USA matchup on the road at South Carolina Sunday at 7 p.m. The live stream and live stats will be available for all fans to keep up with the action in Columbia, South Carolina for free.
 

Owls on Social Media: 
For complete coverage of FAU men’s soccer, follow us on Twitter (@FAUMensSoccer), Instagram (@FAUMensSoccer_) and Facebook (FAU Men’s Soccer).

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Florida Atlantic University Athletics:

FAU Athletics is comprised of 21 intercollegiate teams involving 450 student-athletes that compete in baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, soccer, softball, swimming and diving, tennis, indoor and outdoor track, volleyball, beach volleyball, cheer and dance. The Owls are a NCAA Division I-A (FBS) institution and compete in Conference USA and the Coastal Collegiate Sports Association (CCSA) (beach volleyball, men’s swimming). The Owls have been playing football since 2001 and are a perfect 3-0 in bowl games, the most recent being a 50-3 victory over Akron in the 2017 Cheribundi Tart Cherry Boca Raton Bowl. The dance team finished its 2014 season No. 8, nationally. FAU cheer won a national championship in 2016. 

About Florida Atlantic University:

Florida Atlantic University, established in 1961, officially opened its doors in 1964 as the fifth public university in Florida. Today, the University, with an annual economic impact of $6.3 billion, serves more than 30,000 undergraduate and graduate students at sites throughout its six county service region in southeast Florida. FAU’s world-class teaching and research faculty serves students through 10 colleges: the Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, the College of Business, the College for Design and Social Inquiry, the College of Education, the College of Engineering and Computer Science, the Graduate College, the Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, the Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing and the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science. FAU is ranked as a High Research Activity institution by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. The University is placing special focus on the rapid development of critical areas that form the basis of its strategic plan: Healthy aging, biotech, coastal and marine issues, neuroscience, regenerative medicine, informatics, lifespan and the environment. These areas provide opportunities for faculty and students to build upon FAU’s existing strengths in research and scholarship. For more information, visit www.fau.edu.