MIAMI GARDENS, Fla.– Florida Polytechnic University men's soccer secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Florida Memorial University on Saturday evening at Orange Bowl Field. A second-half goal from Tarquin Adams proved to be the difference, while goalkeeper Andres Villegas delivered an outstanding performance between the posts, recording seven saves to preserve the shutout for the Phoenix.
Florida Poly came out looking to establish an attacking presence early in the contest, generating several opportunities throughout the opening half. Malik Payne recorded the Phoenix first shot on goal in the 10th minute, forcing Florida Memorial goalkeeper Franco Petruzzi into a save. Payne followed with another attempt just over a minute later, but his shot sailed wide right. Felipe Romero added another opportunity in the 17th minute, putting his attempt on target before Petruzzi made his second save of the evening. Adams and Martin Aguilar also registered shots during the opening 45 minutes as Florida Poly finished the first half with five attempts and two shots on goal.
Defensively, the Phoenix faced considerable pressure from Florida Memorial throughout the first half. The Lions registered nine shots before halftime, including five on target, but Villegas was up to the challenge. The Florida Poly goalkeeper made consecutive saves against Antonio Moreno and Gabriel Zapata in the 19th and 22nd minutes before turning away Carlo Lopez in the 28th minute. Villegas continued his strong performance in the closing minutes of the half, denying Rafael Coronado twice, including an attempt with just five seconds remaining before halftime. His five first-half saves kept the contest scoreless heading into the break.
Coming out of halftime, Florida Poly increased its defensive pressure and limited the Lions' attacking opportunities. Adams registered the Phoenix first shot of the second half in the 47th minute, sending his attempt high. Florida Memorial managed its first second-half shot on goal in the 60th minute, but Villegas once again came through with a save against Adriano Melo. Just minutes later, Florida Poly finally broke through. In the 65th minute, Adams found the back of the net at the 64:25 mark, giving the Phoenix a 1-0 advantage. The unassisted goal proved to be the game-winner as Florida Poly took control of the scoreboard with just over 25 minutes remaining.
With the lead secured, the Phoenix defense continued to frustrate the Florida Memorial attack. The Lions managed just three shots throughout the second half after registering nine in the opening period. Villegas recorded another crucial save in the 76th minute, stopping an attempt from Logan Mir to maintain the one-goal advantage. Florida Poly nearly doubled its lead in the 82nd minute when Payne fired a shot that struck the crossbar. Joseph Arroyo followed with a header in the 84th minute, but his attempt sailed high. The Phoenix remained composed over the final minutes, preventing Florida Memorial from finding an equalizer and securing the 1-0 road victory.
Adams led the Florida Poly attack with three shots, including the lone goal of the contest, while Payne contributed three attempts and one shot on goal. Romero added a shot on target, and Arroyo, Aguilar, and the rest of the Phoenix lineup helped maintain pressure throughout the match. Villegas finished with seven saves across the full 90 minutes, earning the clean sheet. Although Florida Memorial held a 12-9 advantage in total shots, Florida Poly limited the Lions to just two shots on goal in the second half and capitalized on its opportunity to secure the victory.
