Palm Beach Atlantic University Athletics

MELBOURNE, Fla.- The Palm Beach Atlantic men's soccer team took their second red card in as many games and lost to Florida Tech 2-1 on Saturday in Melbourne. The Sailfish and Florida Tech each scored once in the first half before Florida Tech added the only goal of the second half. The Sailfish finished with nine shots and three on goal, while Florida Tech had 12 shots and five on goal.

Kobi Thomas put the Sailfish in front at 40:41, scoring the opening goal after the Sailfish had built several first-half chances. Earlier, the Sailfish came through a foul-heavy opening stretch and started pressing in the 12th minute, when Thomas recorded two shots and the Sailfish earned a corner kick. The Sailfish added another corner at 20:36, followed by Ole Lichter's shot high at 21:05 and a Livio von Holzen attempt at 25:32, while Flavio Giannini kept Florida Tech off the board with a save at 31:52. After another Sailfish corner in the 38th minute and Thomas' goal, Florida Tech converted a penalty kick at 41:10, and the first half ended tied 1-1.

Earlier, Florida Tech created the first chances of the half before the Sailfish answered with consecutive corner kicks and saved shots from Lichter and Veit Klement in the 57th and 58th minutes. The Sailfish kept the pressure on with another Robi Lukau shot, a corner kick at 64:20, Simon Buechte's shot in the 72nd minute and another corner at 72:06, but the match remained level. Giannini also made a save on Leny Duperray in the 59th minute.

The Sailfish spent much of the second half pushing at a 1-1 score, but Florida Tech scored at 88:26 after Marcel Duffau was shown a red card at 88:16, and the 'Fish fell 2-1. The Sailfish challenged the red card and the goal for offsides but were unsuccessful in both. 

Thomas scored an unassisted goal and led the Sailfish with three shots, including one on goal. Giannini played all 90 minutes in goal and recorded two saves. PBA sits in a tie for fourth place in the conference at ten points with three games remaining. They return to the pitch on Wednesday against Lynn. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. in Boca Raton.