MIAMI GARDENS, Fla- The STU men's soccer team was in action Wednesday afternoon on Bobcat field as they took on the 20th ranked Embry Riddle Eagles.  Embry Riddle came into the contest with a 5-2-1 overall record going 2-0 in the conference with wins over Warner and Johnson & Wales.. STU came into the match with a 2-6 overall record and a 1-0 conference record. STU was able to prevail over the nationally ranked Eagles 2-1.

Embry Riddle was quickly awarded a free kick in the 2^nd minute of action but it was picked out of the air by STU goalkeeper Adam Green. STU would quickly answer back with a goal just a minute later by Guillermo Huaman. He played a dangerous curling free kick into the penalty area that beat Embry Riddle goalkeeper Nils Carlson for the first score of the match. “I just shot it and it went in”, Huaman said.

Embry Riddle threatened again in the 9^th minute when they were awarded a free kick on the edge of the area that was subsequently deflected by STU. Embry Riddle would continue to battle valiantly as they would take shot after shot to no avail.

Embry Riddle was awarded another free kick at the edge of the penalty area in the 22^nd minute that they were unable to convert. Embry Riddle continued to attack in the 25^th minute with a shot on goal by Viet Couturier,reigning NAIA National Player of the Week, that was deflected by Adam Green with a brilliant full-body, extended diving save to keep STU up 1-0.

Embry Riddle's persistence would pay off when they tied the match in the 30^th minute with a goal by Viktor Gudnason. “A through ball was played and it beat the keeper”, Gudnason said.

The second half would be a tightly contested match with both sides trading shots on goal.

STU would score a fantastic goal in the 54^th minute off of a corner kick that was flicked and ricocheted off the post and was put in by midfielder Mario Matta. “It was a cross from Shardy and I got a lucky bounce and it went in”, Matta said. Things would get testy in the 73^rd minute when Embry Riddle's Sam Fairhurst was sent off after being given a second yellow card for a hard tackle on STU's Mike Hinden.

STU head coach Felix Mats was pleased with his team's performance but felt there was room for improvement. “We played well but we have to get a little more aggressive on the attacking end. We kind of sat back a little and Embry Riddle got on the attacking end. That is something I will address with the boys”, Mats said.

Embry Riddle head coach David Gregson gave his assessment after the match. “I thought it was a good game, really. Every time we come to St. Thomas it's like a World Cup Final.” Gregson added, “You have to deal with difficult conditions, the pitch was bumpy and it's extremely hard, but our guys applied themselves really well.”

Coach Gregson was pleased with Couturier's performance. “He is a fantastic talent.  He had no protection from the referees, he was very aggressive early on until he got on the wrong end of some dirty tackles”, Gregson said.

But STU defender Marco Generani neutralized Couturier throughout the match. “We had to mark him; we were told by coach all week that we had to mark him.” It was really a team effort to defuse Couturier. STU defender Michelson Platon chipped in the back defensively in his second game back from injury.