Colleges: Late goal sinks Lions hopes

Saint Leo’s Bruce Cutler scored twice to rally the Lions back from a two-goal deficit, but a goal in the 82nd minute by Craig Heenighan, his second of the game, gave Nova Southeastern a 3-2 victory on Saturday night.

The Sharks came out sharply, and their early pressure told in the 19th minute as Heenighan found Romain Onteniente in the penalty area for a goal from 10 yards out. The Lions were able to withstand the pressure for the rest of the first half, but Heenighan doubled the lead within a minute of the start of the second half, driving a shot home from 20 yards out on the right side.

The Lions got back on even terms before the game reached the hour mark, Jesper Otterstedt finding Cutler just outside the penalty area, and Cutler driving his shot into the net in the 52nd minute. Cutler then converted a 59th minute penalty kick to tie the game up.

With the momentum turned, the Lions continued to pressure the Sharks goal. Otterstedt, Cutler and Leonardo Nogueira all had efforts saved by NSU goalkeeper Lyle Howe, but it was the Sharks who found the game-winner, Heenighan scoring from 25 yards out on the Sharks first shot in 20 minutes.

The loss leaves the Lions eighth in the SSC standings, and with the prospect of closing out the season against No.9 Tampa at Pepin-Rood Stadium on Thursday night.

College Matchday: Saint Leo at Nova Southeastern

WHEN: Saturday, 7 p.m., NSU Soccer Complex

NEED TO KNOW: With a week off after their defeat to Barry, the Lions will face a Nova Southeastern side that has struggled defensively this season.

The Sharks are coming off a 6-1 drubbing by Tampa earlier this week, and gave up seven to Lynn in mid-September. Currently on a three-game losing streak, and having lost five out of their last six, the Sharks only win in October came in a 1-0 win against Eckerd.

The Lions will look to take advantage of the Sharks defensive frailty, with Jonathan Glenn having scored eight goals in 13 games and Leonardo Nogueira adding four goals. Prior to their loss to Barry last Saturday, the Lions had won three games in a row, and will look to post a victory before their regular-season ending trip to rival Tampa.

College Matchday: Saint Leo at Barry

WHEN: Saturday, 7 p.m., Buccaneer Field

NEED TO KNOW: Two teams riding solid winning streaks face off in Miami Shores in a mid-table Sunshine State Conference clash.

The Lions have turned their form around in the last three games, including a 3-1 win against Florida Southern on Wednesday that saw them score twice in the first four minutes to take hold of the game. Jonathan Glenn and Leonardo Nogueira have been integral to the Lions recent success, Nogueira scoring the game-winning goal in the Lions upset of then No.14 Lynn and also finding the net against the Moccasins.

The Buccaneers currently sit third in the SSC standings, and can boost their seeding for the SSC tournament if they extend a five-game winning streak that has included routs in their past two victories. Barry defeated non-conference opponents St. Thomas 5-0 and Johnson and Wales 6-0 over the past eight days. Mark Anderson had three goals in those two games, and leads the Buccaneers with 13 goals.

Colleges: Lions close home schedule with victory

A pair of goals in the first four minutes propelled Saint Leo to a 3-1 victory against Florida Southern at University Field on Wednesday evening.

Leonardo Nogueira opened the scoring in the second minute, slipping unmarked into the penalty area to be found by a pass by Bruce Cutler. Nogueira took a touch to control before blasting his shot into the top-left corner of the net.

The Lions (6-6-0, 2-3-0) doubled their lead two minutes later, as a corner by Cutler was flicked on by Jonathan Glenn, finding Cody Allen at the far post for a close-range finish.

Florida Southern (1-9-0, 1-5-0) pulled a goal back quickly, Jovaughn Howard’s shot eluding Lions goalkeeper Erik Mozzo’s grasp to make the score 2-1 in the sixth minute.

Saint Leo gave itself a two-goal cushion early in the second half as it scored on a slightly fortuitous goal. A long ball forward by Cutler towards Glenn at the top of the penalty area was met by Florida Southern goalkeeper Johan Jonsson, but he only succeeded in punching the ball off the back of Glenn’s head, the ball rebounding into the vacant net.

The win wrapped up the Lions regular season home schedule, with three games on the road to come. The first of those comes this Saturday as they travel to Miami Shores to face Barry University.

Colleges: Lions grab late upset of No.14 Lynn

Leonardo Noguiera’s 88th minute bicycle kick grabbed a stunning victory for Saint Leo, who upset No.14 Lynn 2-1 on Saturday night at University Field, earning the Lions their first Sunshine State Conference victory of the season.

After Jonathan Glenn won a corner for the Lions, Bruce Cutler’s delivery into the penalty area was cleared to Daniel Asher, who hit and angled cross back into the area. Glenn redirected the cross, and it bounced once before Nogueira drove the ball home with his right foot.

Saint Leo (5-6-0, 1-3-0 SSC) had taken the lead in the 13th minute, as Viktor Wicknor picked up a pass from Asher just outside the penalty, and unleashed a shot the flew past diving Lynn goalkeeper Alessandro Salvatore.

The Fighting Knights (11-2-0, 2-2-0) tied the game six minutes later, though, as Paulo Vaz stole in behind the Lions defense to put himself in one-on-one on Saint Leo goalkeeper Erik Mozzo. Mozzo saved Vaz’s initial shot, but couldn’t keep the rebound out of the goal, as Vaz scored his 16th goal of the season.

Lynn pushed for a winner taking 13 second half shots, forcing Mozzo into three saves before Noguiera’s dramatic winner with two minutes to play handed the Fighting Knights their second loss in eight days in the bay area. Lynn lost 2-1 to the University of Tampa in double-overtime on October 2.

Saint Leo will try to extend its two-game winning streak on Wednesday as it hosts Florida Southern at 7 p.m. before closing the regular season with three games on the road.