For the third consecutive season, the Stetson Hatters kicked off ASUN play with a win, defeating the North Florida Ospreys 2-1 at the Athletic Training Center on Saturday night. Goals from Afonso Conde and Andres Mata secured the victory, bringing Stetson’s overall record to 2-3-2.
Coming off a pair of draws, including a hard-fought road tie against #24 NC State, the Hatters returned home eager for a breakthrough. They delivered, claiming their first win since a 1-0 victory over FIU on August 26. With the result, Head Coach Emmett Rutkowski earned his 24th career win, moving him into sole possession of sixth place in the program’s all-time coaching victories over their 68 year history.
The Hatters faced an early setback, conceding a goal in just the second minute—marking the second time this season they’ve allowed a goal in the opening five minutes. Despite the early deficit, Stetson showed resilience, much like they did against UAB, battling back to avoid defeat.
Stetson equalized in the 39th minute when Xavi Csato sent a perfect cross from the left side to Maurice Hauser, who found Afonso Conde open in front of the net. Conde calmly slotted home his second goal of the season to level the score at 1-1.
The momentum stayed with Stetson into the second half, and in the 56th minute, Mata gave the Hatters a 2-1 lead with his second goal of the season, finishing off an energized attacking sequence.
For the fifth straight match, the Hatters dominated offensively, outshooting their opponents. Stetson took 16 shots, with seven on target, while limiting North Florida to just five attempts. Defensively, the Hatters were sharp, holding the Ospreys without a single corner kick. Goalkeeper Nicolo Radaelli was not under fire much, making two saves as Stetson controlled possession for 60% of the match.
Soccer will return to the ATC on Tuesday at 7:00 PM when the Hatters host Eckerd for their Senior Day.
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