Robin Vandoorne scored and Alex Hare made five saves as the University of Tampa men’s soccer team played No. 4 Florida Southern to a 1-1 draw Wednesday at Berend Field in Lakeland, Florida. Vandoorne gave Tampa a first-half lead, but Darcy Moffat equalized for Florida Southern in the second half. The result moved Tampa to 4-5-4 overall and 3-3-2 in Sunshine State Conference play.
Vandoorne scored at 29:06 on an assist from Manuel Carmona to put Tampa ahead 1-0. He finished with four shots and scored his second goal of the season. Florida Southern goalkeeper Ricardo Marques made two saves, including a stop on Vandoorne’s attempt in the 40th minute.
Tampa takes first-half lead
Alex Dollard recorded Tampa’s first shot in the fifth minute, sending the attempt wide. Florida Southern applied early pressure with two corner kicks in the eighth minute, but Hare kept the match scoreless with saves against Hector Oliver at 8:24 and 9:07. Tampa earned corner kicks in the 13th and 21st minutes before Vandoorne converted Carmona’s assist at 29:06.
Tampa carried its 1-0 lead into halftime. Florida Southern held a 5-4 advantage in shots and a 4-2 edge in corner kicks at the break. Vandoorne nearly added another goal in the 40th minute, but Marques made the save.
Florida Southern equalizes after halftime
Florida Southern nearly tied the match when Darcy Moffat struck the post at 48:37. Hare stopped Tim Baierlein’s attempt in the 50th minute before Marques saved Vandoorne’s penalty kick at 53:30. Christian Fairchild and William Waters recorded attempts five seconds apart in the 57th minute, and Tommaso Polidori sent a shot over the goal in the 60th minute.
Hare denied Joao Lopes at 60:13 to preserve Tampa’s lead. Moffat tied the match at 67:24 on an assist from Luciano Schiaffini. Hare made his fifth save at 80:05 on Schiaffini’s attempt, and Vandoorne recorded Tampa’s final shot in the 84th minute.
Tampa defended four Florida Southern corner kicks during the closing minutes, including two in the final 30 seconds. The defensive effort secured the draw and a conference point for the Spartans. The match drew 294 fans to Berend Field.
Florida Southern leads statistical categories
Florida Southern finished with a 16-10 advantage in total shots and a 6-3 edge in shots on goal. The Moccasins also held a 12-3 advantage in corner kicks, including an 8-1 edge after halftime. Florida Southern committed five fouls, compared with 10 for Tampa, and held a 1-0 advantage in offsides.
Hare played all 90 minutes and made five saves, including three in the second half. Marques recorded two saves for Florida Southern. Dollard and Polidori each had two shots, while Fairchild and Waters added one attempt apiece.
Florida Southern moved to 10-1-3 overall and 5-0-3 in Sunshine State Conference play. Tampa earned a point against a Florida Southern team that remained unbeaten in conference play. The draw left Tampa at 3-3-2 in the conference.
What comes next for Tampa
Tampa hosts Nova Southeastern on Oct. 24 at Pepin Stadium in a Sunshine State Conference matchup. Opening kick is scheduled for 7 p.m. The match gives Tampa its next opportunity to add to its conference record.
The Spartans then travel to Lynn on Oct. 28 for a rescheduled conference match. The kickoff time is to be announced. Tampa enters the match with a 4-5-4 overall record and a 3-3-2 conference mark.
FSB Take
Tampa earned a road point after taking a first-half lead against No. 4 Florida Southern. Vandoorne’s goal supplied the offense, while Hare’s five saves and Tampa’s late defensive work protected the 1-1 result. The Spartans now turn to their Oct. 24 home matchup with Nova Southeastern before the rescheduled trip to Lynn.
Source: Original report