LAKELAND, Fla. (September 16, 2020) – The first Sun Conference match of the 2020 season for the Webber International University men's soccer team resulted in a 4-1 defeat for the visiting Warriors against their Polk County rival Southeastern University on Wednesday night at the SEU Soccer Complex.
Webber gave up two goals in both halves and trailed 3-0 before getting on the scoreboard in the 77th minute on the first career goal by freshman
Zachary Auger.
Each of Southeastern's two goals in the first half came off the leg of Julian Hall with Joshua Ruckdeschel getting an assist on both plays.
Outside of Auger's goal, the Warriors' only other shot on goal on the night came from
Andy Obregon in the 14th minute.
Additionally, Webber went without a shot attempt starting in the 18th minute, just before Southeastern's first goal of the match, up until the 60th minute, about five minutes after the Fire went up 3-0.
"The boys played extremely well, and I believe the result could've been very different if we finished our chances," spoke Webber's Men's Soccer Coach
Neil Cockburn. "We have a lot to learn, but we had a lot of positive points in a game that we can grow from."
Goalkeeper
Alex Marciulonis finished with five saves for the Warriors, who have now lost two in a row on the road as Webber fell to 1-2 overall and 0-1 in The Sun Conference. Southeastern, which finished the 2019 season receiving votes in the NAIA Postseason Coaches' Top-25 Poll after advancing to the opening round of the NAIA National Tournament, improved to 2-0 and 1-0 on the season.
Next up for Webber men's soccer will be a second straight Sun Conference matchup on the road against a team that finished the 2019 receiving votes in the NAIA and advanced to the opening round of the national tournament. In three days on Saturday, September 19, the Warriors will take on St. Thomas University at 5 p.m. in Miami Gardens, Florida. Webber will be trying to snap a nine-match losing streak against the Bobcats after losing only 1-0 at home on Senior Day against No. 14 nationally-ranked St. Thomas a year ago.
