The FGCU women’s soccer team lost its season opener against the Florida International University Panthers at Pickering Field at the FGCU Soccer Complex on Thursday, Aug. 15. FIU’s aggressive, offensive playing style left the Eagles on the back foot, as they could not find their footing, in a 2-1 loss.
After a rain delay pushed the kickoff back 30 minutes, FIU immediately put pressure on FGCU. They attempted three shots, two of which were on goal in the first three minutes.
It took until the 12-minute mark when the Eagles made strides onto their attacking side of the pitch. These strides turned into a goal from graduate student midfielder Ashley Labbe with a shot to the bottom center of FIU’s goal in the 13th minute.
The positive momentum was short-lived, as the Eagles were dominated past this point throughout numerous categories. The Panthers’ aggressive frontline was a detriment to the Eagles, as they got off shot after shot on the Eagles’ goal.
This pressure got the best of the Eagles towards the end of the half. FIU scored their first goal in the 42nd minute of the match, leaving the score 1-1 at the end of the first half.
FGCU was outshot 3-11 and had fewer shots on goal, with a 3-6 deficit through the first 45 minutes. The only highlight of the half was the reliability within the goalpost, with sophomore goalkeeper Olivia Molina accumulating six saves, as she ended the match with a total of 11.
In the second half, the Eagles attempted to move their playing style from the backline to their frontline to put pressure on the Panthers. This move resulted in numerous fouls and yellow cards from both teams, each trying to gain an early advantage over the other.
The change in playing style backfired on the Eagles as the Panthers continued their domination into their second goal of the match off of a rebound off of Molina in the 71st minute. It only got worse for the Eagles, as in the closing minutes, junior forward Kendal Gargiula went down on the field.
Florida International University broke an 11-match losing streak against the Eagles with their 2-1 victory against FGCU. In a similar fashion to last season, the Eagles start their 2024 campaign with a loss in front of their home crowd.
“I think maybe this is a blessing in disguise,” FGCU Women’s Soccer Head Coach Jim Blankenship said. “I mean, there’s a lot of accolades and a lot of players returning from a team that’s been very, very good, and this was a completely different team.”
They ended the match with a 5-19 shot differential, which can be attributed to their offense being ineffective in moving the ball throughout 90 minutes. They look to clean things up come Sunday, Aug.25, against the University of South Florida for the start of a grueling road journey.
“Our game on Wednesday got canceled, so we got some time to prepare, and we’re gonna need that time,” Blankenship said. “The schedule’s not gonna get easier, but we’re used to that. It’s about getting us right for a conference.”
The Eagles return to the Pickering Field against cross-state rivals Florida Atlantic University Owls on Thursday, Sept. 5.
