Babson Park, FL – The Webber International men's soccer team hosted #17 Keiser University Seahawks on the Warriors Grass Field on Saturday evening looking to follow up from their road victory over Florida College last weekend. The Warriors proved to be no easy matchup for the Seahawks, battling back and forth all match long. The Warriors would have almost just as many chances on goal as the visiting Seahawks, but two goals off free kicks would prove to be the difference in this match for the Seahawks, taking down the Warriors 2-0.
The Seahawks started off the first half action with a quick attack netting their first shot of the game but it went just high, not challenging Ben Parkinson. Parkinson would make his first save of the half in the 15th minute off a shot from Manu Coreviola, but that would be his only save of the half. Just five minutes later the Seahawks would get an opportunity off a free kick outside the box, Ian Garnero, the Seahawks captain would whip in a low cross to the front post and defender Francis Bolland would find himself on the end of the cross and head the ball over Parkinson and into the back of the net to set the Seahawks up 1-0 in the 20th minute. The most opportune chances for the Warriors would come in the final five minutes of the first half. David Gomez, an early substitution would take a shot at goal in the 41st minute, followed by a shot from Sho Furukawa in the 42nd minute, but Santiago Nebot, the Seahawks keeper would be there to make the save on both shots. Miguel De Silva, another substitution would record two shots in a 45 second span as time wound down in the first half but they would be blocked and go wide of goal as the Warriors had the opportunity but were unable to find the equalizing goal before halftime.
Coming out of halftime, the pace of play significantly slowed down for both squads as more fouls and yellow cards started to pile up for both squads. The Seahawks and Warriors would
combine for 31 fouls and five yellow cards on the afternoon with the Warriors having 14 fouls and four yellow cards to the Seahawks 17 fouls and one yellow card. Parkinson would record another save in the 54th minute to keep the Warriors deficit at one as physical play continued in the second half. After more fouls and some substitutions, the Seahawks would convert on another free kick opportunity to take a commanding lead late in the second half. Mikael Baisotti would find Jakob Schnitzler at the back post for another Seahawk headed goal into the far corner of the net giving them a 2-0 lead in the 66th minute. The Warriors showed some fight deep into the rest of the second half, but would be unable to overcome the two goal deficit and fall to the visiting Keiser Seahawks 2-0 in Babson Park.
After the game, Head Coach Phillip Maestas Bohn was somber in his evaluation of the team.
"Really disappointing performance by the boys today against a very good Kaiser team. We were looking forward to see how we stack up against the top team in the conference and I guess after our performance we would say we've got some work to do to close the gap. We were happy with some of the boys that came off the bench and provided a little bit of a spark on a day where we seemed quite flat ultimately, we've got a lot to learn from this one as we get ready for two big games this coming week.
Luciano Vera came off the bench after being out injured for about week and a half and was quite good on the ball, causing a lot of issues, so he was our man of the match."
The Warriors will have a quick turnaround traveling down to the face the Florida Memorial Lions on Wednesday afternoon at 1:00 PM in Miami Gardens, Florida.
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