UNF started slow in the first game and finished slow in the second game leading to a weekend split at the Jacksonville University tournament.

The team was on the right side of the final score Sept. 2 in a 2-1 double-overtime thriller against Georgia State, but the weekend’s fortunes turned for the worse two days later as it dropped a 2-1 decision to Furman.

After giving up a first half goal, UNF was able to pull out a win in the final minute of the second period of overtime against Georgia State. Head coach Linda Hamilton said the team came out slow but showed a lot of heart when it counted.

“You always need luck and heart,” Hamilton said. “It comes down to who wants it more and can take advantage of the chances.”

Possession against Georgia State was not as good as she would have liked it to be, but the young team’s chemistry is getting better, Hamilton said.

The Sept. 4 game was a different story for the Ospreys.

After going up early in the game and dominating the second half, the Ospreys allowed Furman to steal away the win in the final minute of the game, losing 2-1.

Keara Murphy, a junior midfielder, summed up the up-and-down weekend.

“It’s a lesson learned,” she said. “We worked hard till the end against Georgia State. We worked hard but faded at the end against Furman.”

It was a lesson that needed to be learned, Hamilton said.

“It’s a cruel sport,” Hamilton said. “Sometimes you can dominate and not win.”

Megan Dorsey, a sophomore goalkeeper, said shot placement needed improvement in Sunday’s game. The Ospreys outshot Furman 25 to 14.

Dorsey said the team has improved at a rapid pace but needs to be better prepared and more in sync.

“It was a miscommunication between me and the defender,” Dorsey said in regards to the goal that cost them the game. “We need to come out strong and play the whole 90 minutes.”

Hamilton said the team needed to capitalize on opportunities presented in the game. She also said the team needed to improve ball movement and composure in the first and last five minutes in future games.

“Next game, we won’t say ‘could have’ and ‘would have,’” Hamilton said.