October 14, 2005

FLORIDA TECH UPSETS No. 8 TUSCULUM 1-0

MELBOURNE, Fla. --  Junior Mohammed Al-Sharif (Jeddah, Saudi Arabia) scored an unassisted goal in the 61st minute to lift the Florida Tech men's soccer team to a 1-0 victory over eighth-ranked Tusculum College. (Box Score)

Al-Sharif dribbled through the Pioneer defense before blasting a shot past Tusculum goalkeeper J.P. Swaminathan (Brampton, Ontario) for the only goal of the match. 

Florida Tech freshman goalkeeper Cory Collins (Melbourne, Fla.) recorded three saves for the victorious Panthers (3-7-1), while Swaminathan tallied one save for Tusculum (8-3-1).  

Junior Sean Collins (Melbourne, Fla.), a former player at Tusculum, led a stout Panther defense which helped Florida Tech claim a 9-7 edge in shots.  Junior Donald Rhoads (Mentor, Ohio) also recorded a critical back save off a shot by sophomore Matt Ross (Brampton, Ontario) which would have given Tusculum a 1-0 lead just minutes before Al-Sharif's eventual game-winner.

Tusculum claimed an 8-2 edge in corner kicks. 

The Pioneers will wrap up a three-match road stretch on Sunday against Barry University in Miami Shores, Fla. Kick-off is set for 2:00 p.m.

-TC-