Carla Mendez | Staff Writer
The FIU women’s soccer team showcased their skills, securing a 4-0 victory against the Stetson Hatters on Thursday, Aug. 31, 2023 in Miami, Florida.
Prior to this matchup, the Panthers were coming off their first loss of the season, falling 2-0 to the Mississippi State Bulldogs four days prior. Bolstering a 3-1 record this season, FIU didn’t want to make a habit out of losing.
On the other side of the spectrum, Stetson had a 0-4 record coming into this match. In their previous game, they took an 8-0 loss to the Florida Gators, starting their season in a very poor way.
Right from the first whistle, the Panthers exhibited exceptional ball control, finding a way to score within the first three minutes.
This came courtesy junior forward Noemi Paquin’s corner kick, which found junior defender Reagan Bridges for a straight header into the back of the net. Jumping out to an early 1-0 lead, FIU was determined to extend it further.
Struggling to find momentum on both ends, the Hatters couldn’t contain the Panthers’ scoring. Continuing their offensive onslaught, FIU’s next score came at the 15-minute mark.
Junior midfielder Nikole Solis delivered a pass downfield to sophomore forward Brealyn Viamille, who slotted the ball into the bottom right corner of the goal, giving FIU a commanding 2-0 advantage heading into halftime.
In a similar fashion to the first half, FIU started off the second half on fire, with Solis scoring another goal in less than five minutes.
Attempting to start up Stetson’s offense, sophomore forward Zoie Weinberger took two shots in the second half, neither of which resulted in points.
As the game was coming near a close, the Panthers still had some gas left in the tank, with sophomore defender Kennedy Floyd scoring the team’s final goal one second before the 90-minute marker.
Propelling FIU to a 4-0 advantage, there was not enough time for the Hatters to stage a miracle comeback, giving FIU the win.
Holding a 4-1 record to start the season, the Panthers are off to their strongest start since the 1996 season.
Looking to add to their historic start, FIU women’s soccer will take on the Louisiana Rajun’ Cajuns on Sunday, Sep. 3, 2023 in Miami, Florida.
Kickoff is set for 11:00 a.m. and will be streamed on ESPN+.
Follow Carla Mendez on X: @carladfmendez
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