Junior Cory Kendall (Pembroke Pines, Fla.) scored his first goal of the season, but it wasn't enough as the FIU men's soccer team lost 3-1 to Conference USA rival, 25TH ranked South Carolina.
The Gamecocks (8-3-0; 2-0-0) improved to 8-0-1 all-time against the Golden Panthers (0-8-2; 0-2-0).
USC got on the board first when Jeff Scanella fired from long range to net his fourth goal of the season, this one coming in the 36th minute.
“I think we played well up until that first goal,” said FIU head coach Munga Eketebi. “We can't lose the ball in a critical part of the field and be exposed defensively; as soon as that ball went in it was ?déjà vu'”
The score would remain 1-0 going into the break.
South Carolina would double its lead in the 51st minute when Blake Brettschneider scored his fourth goal of the season. Scanella set up the goal for Brettschneider, who led the Gamecocks with five shots.
In the 68th minute, Brennan Williams made the score 3-0 when he found the back of the net off the pass from J.D. Moon.
The Golden Panthers would get one back in the 81st minute when Juan Guerra (Caracas, Venezuela) beat several USC defenders to get deep in the penalty area where he passed off to Kendall for the lone FIU goal.
“The one positive is that we scored a goal. And that's something that has eluded us a lot this year,” added Eketebi. “But at the end of the day you have to score to win. They capitalized on their chances.”
Kyle Thomas (Jensen Beach, Fla.) finished with eight saves, matching his season-high. However, the three goal allowed by Thomas are also a season-high for the junior.
The Golden Panthers return to action at University Park on Wednesday night at 7 p.m. when they host the University of Central Florida.
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