JACKSONVILLE, Fla. ( Sept. 25, 2023) – After a less-than-ideal offensive start to 2023, FNU has put up four goals in its last two contests, including a 2-2 tie with Edward Waters University on Sept. 25. The Tigers (5-0-2) remain undefeated while the Conquistadors (0-3-2) continue their search for a win after claiming their second tie.
In the opening period, Florida National recorded just nine shots to the Tigers’ 14. FNU goalie Nahomie Ambroise was busy in the early goings with eight clutch saves. FNU was the first to get the scoring in the 32nd minute, as a sneaky, short pass from Mickaela Calisto left a stellar angle open for Enma Amaya to volley a long-distance shot into the top right corner of the net.
The Tigers were not discouraged, however, by this Conquistador score. Dahien Cabrera tied up the rematch just before the break, exploiting a defensive breakdown from the FNU backline. Cabrera leads all players in the NCAA DII with 11 goals so far this season.
Seven minutes into the second half, newcomer Johanna Andersson tapped in a cross pass from Calisto for her first long-awaited goal as a Conquistador. With plenty of time still on the clock, FNU looked to pressure the ball to keep the Tigers off the board, to no avail. In the 66th minute, EWU’s Katharina Weigl scored on a free kick from Sophia Paffrath.
About 12 minutes later, Cabrera had a chance to put the Tigers on top after a foul in the penalty box set up a high-stakes penalty kick. To the luck of the Conquistadors, Cabrera had her shot sail wide of the goalpost.
FNU ended the match with a total of 14 shots to EWU’s 26. FNU had five corners while the Tigers had four.
Up Next: FNU has its first Conference game versus the Florida College Falcons on Sept. 28 at 6 p.m.
