TAMPA, Fla. –– On Thursday, Sept. 4, The University of Tampa Spartans won their home opener against the No. 13 West Florida Argonauts, 3-1, for the second year in a row.
The opener had a packed crowd, with both teams huddling right before kickoff. The Spartans looked calm while the Argonauts were jumping and chanting. The game kicked off at 84 degrees Fahrenheit – muggy, with clouds scattered across the sky.
The Spartans scored early with Felix Poschmann, junior midfielder, getting an unassisted goal in the sixth minute. He received a yellow card in the 11th minute. Another goal came in the 19th minute from Rodrigo Lopes, senior forward, and an assist from Christian Fairchild, junior forward. The Argonauts had their only goal in the 21st minute, scored by sophomore defender Andrey Gentil, with an assist by junior midfielder Rafael Esteves. The rest of the half saw multiple shots by the Argonauts, including four from graduate forward Manu Bernabeu…