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Florida Memorial University Athletics

Scoreboard

FMU player
David Badia | SportsMediaDB
1
Winner Warner WU (9-4-4, 4-2-2)
0
Florida Memorial FMU (2-8-1, 2-5-1)
Winner
Warner WU
(9-4-4, 4-2-2)
1
Final
0
Florida Memorial FMU
(2-8-1, 2-5-1)
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Warner WU 1 0 1
Florida Memorial FMU 0 0 0

Game Recap: Men's Soccer | | J.T. Wilcox, Sports Information Director

FMU Topped By Warner Saturday, Lose Postseason Tourney Bid

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – When it comes to postseason fortunes, all a team could ever hope for is to "control its own destiny" – being able to see the results of its own game decide its fate.
 
Florida Memorial University held its postseason hopes in its own hands but couldn't cash in on the opportunity as it fell 1-0 to visiting Warner University Saturday afternoon at Dr. Lester Brown Park.
 
Warner University knocked in a goal in the eighth minute and it ended up being enough as a maddening combination of solid Warner defense and missed scoring chances sank the Lions.
 
It was a "win and in" situation for the Lions Saturday. They entered the weekend sitting in the No. 6 and final qualifying spot in the Sun Conference standings and would've clinched a berth in the postseason tournament had they topped the Royals. Even in losing, FMU wasn't completely out of contention. The Lions would've needed help in the form of a loss by Savannah College of Art and Design, but SCAD topped Ave Maria University 6-0 Saturday and took over the No. sixth seed.
 
The loss against the Royals also spoiled FMU's Senior Day festivities, as the team recognized and honored its graduating seniors Michael Mesa, Lyndon Desir, Artur Barros, and Jesus Tovar.
 
Saturday marked just the second time this season that Florida Memorial (2-8-1, 2-5-1 The Sun Conference) was shutout by a NAIA opponent. The Lions' dearth of points wasn't for a lack of trying. FMU took nine total shots with four coming on goal and those shots were taken by two of the best possible shooters – Michael Del Gaudio and Johan Godoy.
 
Florida Memorial's two leading goal scorers this season each took four shots with two on goal, but either of them was able to find the back of the net. Frustration mounted for both as time waned and shots went errant – Del Gaudio slapped the turf after he had a header off a corner kick fly a bit too high and miss while Godoy grabbed his face in disbelief as he had a clean shot in the box sail above the net.
 
Warner did its part in keeping the dynamic duo under wraps, keeping at least one defender attached to both throughout and sometimes bracketing Del Gaudio with two defenders when the ball found his feet.
 
Emotions also ran high towards the end of the match as Daniel Perez received a yellow card then received a red card, resulting in an automatic ejection.
 
While the offseason comes a bit sooner than the Florida Memorial wanted, the team can carry some positive building blocks into 2022 that should serve the program well moving forward. First-year head coach Daniel Radice made tangible strides in setting a new culture for the program under his leadership while bolstering the roster with a handful of new players to go along with the returners.
 
The Lions also began to build an identity as a team, showing that they would not be a pushover within the Sun Conference and has the potential to be a team that not only makes postseason tournament appearances but makes a deep run.
 
Follow Florida Memorial University Athletics on social media
Instagram: @GoFMULions/@FMULions_MSOC | Twitter: @GoFMULions | YouTube: Official FMU Lions
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