Florida Atlantic University Owls women’s soccer (0-2-1) took a devastating 2-0 loss against the Florida International University (FIU) Panthers (2-1) on Thursday night, keeping them winless after their third game of the season.

The defeat shattered a 10-year winning streak against FIU, with their last win against FAU being Oct. 25, 2013, during the regular season when FAU was still in Conference-USA. Both teams knew the game would be demanding due to the equal lineup. Last season, FAU had an overall record of 8-7-5, while FIU went 8-6-4.

FAU took possession of the ball first, but claimed off-sides in the first 30 seconds of the game. 

Within the first 10 minutes of the game, FAU had two failed attempts to score. Panther forward Noemi Paquin secured the team a goal with 34 minutes left in the first half. Paquin placed the ball into the right corner shooting from the box. 

“They punished us 10 minutes into the game,” said head coach Patrick Baker. “[The] first goal was going to be crucial anyways.” 

Throughout the game, the Owls were proving to be gellingwell as a unit, given the equal possessions during the match. Defense proved to be the redeeming quality throughout the game, especially in the right corner. 

The first corner kick of the game was earned by FAU midfielder Emmy Schleifer, where FAU midfielder Sofia Voldby attempted a header to secure a goal. An injury timeout was required due to kick interference by FAU midfielder Michelle Horan. By the end of the half, the Owls had seven shot attempts and the Panthers led by 0-1.

Heading into the second half, Schleifer and Horan had some good runs where they ran diagonally to receive the ball. FIU had a particularly good run, with defender Deborah Bien-Aime passing to Nikole Solis for an attempted goal, ultimately leading to a stop by Owl midfielder Noa Ganthier.

With 16 minutes left in the second half, FAU midfielder Morgan McDonald attempted to assist forward Drew Dempsey in an open shot to tie the game. Unfortunately for them, the ball hit the crossbar, holding all fans and players in suspense. Shortly after, FIU forward Montelene Dymond scored with two minutes left on the clock leading to a final score of 2-0 with a Panthers win.

“We’re just gonna have to flush it, watch tape, and maybe do some subtle things tactically,” said Baker. “We’re excited about the opportunity to travel…it’s got a different type of feeling.” 

FAU women’s soccer will be having their next game away on August 25th at 1 p.m. EST against the University of Louisiana of Lafayette. There is currently no information on where to stream the game.

Emely Nunez is a Contributing Writer for the University Press. For more information regarding this or other stories, email her at [email protected].