DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - The Stetson men's soccer team opened
up preseason play with a 1-0 victory over Embry-Riddle on Wednesday
evening. Junior Steven
Saballos scored the game-winner on an assist from senior Kai Eckenrode.
The Hatters, who open up regular season play at Penn State
on August 25, scored in the second half of the exhibition match that ended 10
minutes early due to inclement weather.
The goal came on a short corner where Eckenrode played the ball to
Saballos, who finished it in the far upper corner to give Stetson a lead they
did not relinquish.
"Overall it was a very good exhibition," Head Coach T. Logan
Fleck said. "It showed some things we
are doing very well, and a few things that need improvement before the start of
the regular season. I was very
encouraged by our possession play and our ability to create chances throughout
the match."
Fleck went on to praise the play of junior Andreas Schnabl, senior Jonathan
Mendoza, senior Luis Ocejo,
and junior JJ Bostic, but he named Saballos the "Man of the Match."
Stetson will host Florida
Southern in its final exhibition of the summer before opening regular season
play on the 25th. The Hatters
will stay on the road, playing at West Virginia
(Aug. 27) and Houston Baptist (Sept. 1) before returning to DeLand for the home
opener against Jacksonville
on September 7.
