BOCA RATON, Fla. — FIU women's soccer (0-0-1, 0-0-0) played to a 1-1 draw against Florida Atlantic (0-0-1, 0-0-0) on Wednesday evening at Flagler Credit Union Stadium to open the 2026 season.
Yuzu Tanida scored a crucial goal late in the contest to even the result.
The match began with both FIU and Florida Atlantic probing for early opportunities, but neither was able to convert. FIU's
Maya Maxwell and
Maria Lucia Dogliani each saw chances, but were unable to hit the back of the net. The first half concluded with a scoreless tie, as both defenses held firm.
In the second half, Florida Atlantic scored the first goal of the season at the 74:56 mark. The Panthers responded thanks to freshman
Yuzu Tanida, scoring her first goal of the season, equalized for FIU with a goal at 79:36, assisted by
Adria Kitzinger, who registered her first assist of the season. Not only was it Tanida's first goal of the season, but it was the first goal of the freshman's career as well.
The match maintained its intensity when a Florida Atlantic penalty kick was saved by FIU's
Valery Restrepo at 86:10, preserving the tie. The game concluded with a 1–1 draw.
Redshirt senior
Barbara Garcia notched 47 minutes and one shot in the contest, the longtime Panthers' first minutes in a match since the 2023 season due to injury.
UP NEXT
The Panthers open up their home slate at Leyva Family Field at FIU Soccer Stadium against No. 4 Florida State on August 16 at 6 p.m.
SOCIAL MEDIA
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