The UNF men’s soccer team defeated the Winthrop Eagles Thursday night at Harmon Stadium with a final score of 3-1. 

Jamie Davies achieved his first win as head coach and UNF junior Jaxon Reinhardt scored the first two goals of his college career. 

The Ospreys played Winthrop to a 1-1 tie at halftime, but North Florida scored two unanswered goals in the second half to secure the team’s first victory of the season. Reinhardt scored two of the Ospreys’ goals, which secured UNF’s first brace of the season. 

Both teams went shotless in the first five minutes of the game. Winthrop opened the scoring chances in the 6th minute after a shot sailed just over the net. This was the only shot attempt in the first 15 minutes of the game. 

Winthrop had another chance to score on a fast break, but the ball was launched over the left side of the goal. Later in the opening half, the momentum started to shift for the Ospreys. 

Twenty-seven minutes in, Reinhardt sneaked the ball into the right side of the net and scored North Florida’s first goal of the game.

However, UNF’s lead didn’t last. Just before halftime, Winthrop evened the score with a goal that bounced off UNF’s goalie and into the net. 

North Florida reset for the second half. The Ospreys started strong with two shots, which led to an own-goal score for Winthrop and a 2-1 lead for UNF. Both teams had more scoring chances in the final frame, but the Ospreys capitalized on their chances more.

“Tonight, I think we came out a little bit flat,” Coach Davies said. “It wasn’t pretty in the locker room and then after halftime, they came out and they were incredible.”

North Florida outshot the Eagles 7-6 in the second half after Winthrop outshot the Ospreys in half one. Reinhardt scored his second goal of the night on a diving header off a pass from Luc Granitur.

“He showed with his header goal that he’s willing to do anything to put the ball in the back of the net,” Davies said. “That’s the commitment you need to score.”

For the Ospreys, this was a game filled with many firsts — the first win of the season, the first career win for Davies, and first career goal for Reinhardt. According to Davies, this gives his team early momentum before ASUN conference play begins.

“It’s huge,” Davies said. “We can play at any level.”

The Ospreys Men’s Soccer improves to 1-1-1 on its young season while Winthrop drops to 0-3. 

North Florida will stay home and host Mercer on Sunday, Sept 1. Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m.

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