@CanesFutbol Falls to FAU on the Road
BOCA RATON, Fla. – Ainsly Wolfinbarger logged the first point of her career Friday night against Florida Atlantic on a Gracie Lachowecki goal, but the University of Miami soccer team dropped the match at FAU Soccer Stadium.
The Hurricanes fell 3-1 in their first true road contest of the season, as sophomore forward Asta Arnadottir recorded a brace to lead the way for the Owls.
“I am disappointed in how we started the game today,” Miami head coach Mary-Frances Monroe said. “I know that we are a much better team than how we performed tonight. We need to continue to build and play an entire 90 minutes, just like we did the last 25 minutes.”
Arnadottir opened the scoring in the eighth minute on a shot from the top of the box that sailed into the top part of the netting, giving Florida Atlantic (4-1-0) the upper hand in the early going.
The Owls then went ahead 2-0 in the 23rd minute when redshirt junior defender Erica Burt headed in a corner kick off the foot of freshman midfielder Mimi Godoy.
Sophomore forward Ronnie Johnson had a scoring chance for the Hurricanes in the 40th minute, but Florida Atlantic redshirt junior goalkeeper Sydney Drinkwater was able to come up with the save.
In the 62nd minute, the Owls went in front 3-0 on Arnadottir’s second goal. Senior midfielder Claire Emslie and junior forward Geovana Alves were both credited with assists after Arnadottir’s finish from the top of the box.
Despite the deficit, Miami (0-4-0) would not relent, putting five shots on goal in the final 24 minutes. The third of that group was by Lachowecki and it found the back of the net to make it 3-1.
A corner kick by Wolfinbarger, a freshman midfielder, in the 86th minute went to senior midfielder/defender Natalie Moik, who played it onto Lachowecki and she headed headed it home to get the Hurricanes on the board. That would be the final goal of the match, as Florida Atlantic came away with the 3-1 victory.
In addition to Wolfinbarger tallying her inaugural point as a Hurricane, freshman midfielder/defender Niccola Venezia and freshman forward Caitlin Fryer also recorded college firsts. Venezia earned her first start and Fryer, on her birthday, made her Miami debut.
“We gave a lot of new players minutes to give them some experience tonight,” Monroe said.
The Hurricanes will be back in action Sunday afternoon at 1:00 p.m. when they take on Jacksonville (1-2-1) at the Dolphins’ Southern Oak Stadium.
To learn about the University of Miami soccer team, follow @CanesFutbol.
