Box Score

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Senior Kristin Rhodes scored her third goal of the season in Sunday afternoon’s match, helping the University of North Florida women’s soccer team pull to 2-2 in the Atlantic Sun Conference, defeating the Bears, 1-0, on Sunday afternoon at Hodges Stadium.

The Ospreys gained some momentum this week, defeating the preseason’s pick to finish second in the A-Sun and moving back to .500 in the conference standings.

“It was real important for us to win this match and go to 2-2 in the conference,” said head coach Linda Hamilton. “I think that’s a big step for us. I think the girls deserved it and they played a great game for 90 minutes.”

Rhodes tied her career record for goals scored (3) from her sophomore season at the University of West Florida and topped last year’s performance in goals scored (2) at UNF.

“I told them that going into the half 0-0 gives yourselves an opportunity to win,” said Hamilton. “I told them you have to go out there and play to win. You’ve got to take a run at them.”

Right out the gate in the second half, UNF came out aggressive and made a “run” at the Bears. In the 49th minute sophomore Samantha Keyes played a ball over top, finding Rhodes who positioned herself in front of the defender. Rhodes one-timed the shot from the top left of the box to the bottom right corner of the goal.

Even though the Bears held UNF to their lowest shot total of the season (3), the Ospreys were able to make the most of their opportunities.

Mercer in the later minutes of the match tested the UNF defense swarming the ball for a possible last minute shot to send the match into sudden death.

With four minutes left, Mercer’s Emerald Phillips quieted the audience for a few seconds with a shot from 20 yards out that just skidded off the left cross bar.

“I think Mercer is a great team. They battled hard against us,” said Hamilton. “This match really shows us that on any given day we can beat anyone and at any given time we can be vulnerable.”

The Ospreys’ next four A-Sun matches will be on the road. Next weekend UNF will play Stetson on Friday, Oct. 9, at 4 p.m. in DeLand, Fla. Then UNF will trip to Fort Meyers, Fla. to play Florida Gulf Coast on Sunday, Oct. 11.