FGCU Controls Play But Settles For Tie
BOCA RATON, Fla. – The No. 16 RPI-ranked FGCU men’s soccer team (4-2-3) controlled the play throughout a double-overtime contest at FAU (0-9-2) Tuesday night, but had to settle for a 0-0 tie on the strength of another Nathan Ingham shutout.
The Eagles out-shot the Owls, 12-4, and out-cornered FAU, 9-1, but couldn’t find the back of the net. With the tie – FGCU’s second scoreless draw of the year – the Green and Blue extend their unbeaten streak to five straight (3-0-2).
“We had a tremendous amount of possession – especially throughout the first half and most of the second half – and had a lot of good, quality chances that we just didn’t convert,” said FGCU head coach Bob Butehorn. “We have been finishing those opportunities this year but weren’t able to tonight as we either missed the target or had them blocked or saved. We’ve got to get back to work and get ready for Lipscomb on Saturday night in an important A-Sun game.”
Ingham (Keswick, Ontario/Keswick HS) made three saves en route to his fourth shutout of the season and 23rd of his career. FGCU’s all-time shutout leader, Ingham moved into a tie for second place in Atlantic Sun Conference history (which dates to 1979) and is two clean sheets shy of tying the league’s career shutout record of 25.
Additionally, Ingham – who entered with the eighth-best goals-against average in the nation this year at 0.50 – lowered that to 0.42. Furthermore, his career GAA now sits at 0.96, just 0.01 shy of tying the all-time A-Sun record of 0.95.
All of the first-half action in terms of shots came in a 10-minute span from the 15th minute through the 25th minute as the Eagles attempted all three of their opening-stanza shots, and Ingham stopped the lone FAU attempt.
In the second half, FGCU started to take even more control of the game as the majority of the possession finally resulted in a lot more attempts as the Eagles out-shot the Owls in the second 45 minutes, 7-2.
Arguably the best chance came off the left foot of Preston Kilwien (Pleasant Hill, Calif./College Park HS/Campolindo HS) as the freshman – who has shown a propensity for converting long-range shots already this year – appeared to have another, but his effort from about 25 yards off a set piece in the 65th minute was ticketed for the upper 90 before being saved by a diving Phillip Hitpass. In the waning stages of regulation, forward Albert Ruiz (Barcelona, Spain/UE Cornella/CE L’Hospitalet) had his shot from inside the box also saved by Hitpass.
Following a relatively uneventful first 10-minute overtime session, Ingham was tested early in the second OT period, but made a save on FAU’s Baxton Fuster in the 103rd minute. Then, in the 109th minute, Kamar Marriott (Tampa, Fla./Heritage HS) had a great opportunity to win it for the Eagles, but his shot off a deflected free kick missed to the right of the frame.
The tie is the first in the all-time series between FGCU and FAU as FAU now holds a 4-3-1 lead dating back to the initial meeting in the Green and Blue’s first year as a program in 2007.
FGCU, which sits atop the A-Sun standings with 7 points and a 2-0-1 mark, steps back into league play when it hosts Lipscomb on Saturday at 7 p.m. at the FGCU Soccer Complex. The Bisons are alone in second place in the conference with 6 points and a 2-1-0 record. Lipscomb and FGCU shared the A-Sun regular-season title last year before the Eagles won the A-Sun Tournament on the Bisons’ home field. Prior to the game, FGCU will recognize its senior class as while the contest is not the final regular-season home game, it will serve as Senior Night for the program.
When it takes the pitch on Saturday night, FGCU will be looking to extend the nation’s longest home regular-season conference unbeaten streak which currently sits at 27 dating back to 2008 as the Eagles have gone an incredible 24-0-3 in that time. FGCU’s last home regular-season A-Sun loss came to Jacksonville, 2-0, on Oct. 19, 2008 – more than 2,500 days ago.
FGCU owns a dominant overall record to 34-4-4 in all A-Sun regular-season games since the start of the 2010 season. All four of those losses have come on the road, and out of a possible 126 points that could have been earned in that time, the Eagles have claimed an impressive 106 of them.
A-Sun Career Shutouts
1) Ryan Coulter: 25 (ETSU, 2011-13)
2) Nathan Ingham: 23 (FGCU, 2011-Present)
Jeff Cassar: 23 (FIU, 1992-95)
A-Sun Career Goals-Against Average (minimum 2,000 minutes)
1) Ryan Coulter: 0.95 (ETSU, 2011-13)
2) Nathan Ingham: 0.96 (FGCU, 2011-Present)
3) Kyle Roelke: 1.00 (Belmont, 2004-05)
TICKET INFORMATION
Single-game tickets for all FGCU men’s soccer home games are available starting at just $7 for adults, $5 for youth (3-12) and $20 for a family pack. More information, including additional special discounts and group rates, can be accessed by logging on to FGCUAthletics.com/tickets or by clicking here. To purchase tickets, or for additional inquiries, call the FGCU Ticket Office at 239-590-7145 Monday-Friday from 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
FOLLOW ALONG
For up-to-the minute information and a behind-the-scenes look at the FGCU men’s soccer program, follow on Twitter @FGCU_MSoccer, Instagram @FGCU_MSoccer, Facebook /FGCUMSoccer and YouTube /FGCUAthletics.
COACH BUTEHORN
FGCU is led by Bob Butehorn, who has coached 45 A-Sun All-Conference selections since FGCU started its program in 2007. In just four years of postseason eligibility, Butehorn has guided FGCU to three A-Sun Tournament championships and NCAA Tournament appearances – in 2011, 2012 and 2014 – and has won an unprecedented five-straight A-Sun regular-season championships. His teams have been ranked nationally on several occasions by multiple media outlets. Now in his 13th season as a head coach, Butehorn has a 112-89-25 (.551) overall record, 78-57-21 (.569) mark in his 9th season at FGCU and 46-17-6 (.713) record in A-Sun contests.
SUPPORT THE CAUSE
FGCU Athletics sponsors events throughout the year to benefit the FGCU Campus Food Pantry (www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry) and the Harry Chapin Food Bank (www.harrychapinfoodbank.org), FGCU Athletics’ charities of choice. For more information, including how to make a contribution, please visit www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry and utilize the hashtag #FeedFGCU to help raise awareness.
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