AVE MARIA, Fla.- The Ave Maria University men's soccer team fell in conference play for the first time this season on Saturday afternoon, dropping a 5-0 decision to the Bobcats of St. Thomas University. The Bobcats, who outshot the Gyrenes 17-5 on Saturday, scored two goals in the span of 13 minutes to break the game open in the first half, then scored three more times in the second to pull away.
The teams played more than 25 minutes of scoreless action before St. Thomas got on the board for the first time. In the 27th minute, a short pass in front of the goal from Joaquin Domber found the foot of Felipe Madero, who finished to give the Bobcats a 1-0 lead. The lead extended to 2-0 in the 40th minute, as a deflection was played by the Bobcats, and sent past the goalkeeper by Pascal Agostini.
Less than ten minutes into the second half, St. Thomas scored for the third time. A miscue by the AMU defense left Alvaro Bode open, and his goal in the 55th minute extended the STU lead to 3-0. The Bobcats scored twice more in the final six minutes of the match to finish off the victory in what was The Sun Conference's Game of the Week. The final two St. Thomas goals were provided by Mark Oghogho and Maxime Trabichet, while assists were provided by  Fernando Arenzo and Luis Stalin Munoz.
Four of Ave Maria's five shots on the day came on goal, while 12 of St. Thomas' 17 attempts tested the goalkeeper. Saturday's game was also a physical affair between the two schools, with 24 fouls committed and four yellow cards handed out. Both teams also had opportunities on corner kicks, with eleven between the two clubs - seven for St. Thomas and four for the Gyrenes.
Two players supplied the entirety of Ave Maria's offensive chances - John Gokey attempted three shots with two attempts on goal, while Josh Gaeng took a pair of shots that tested STU goalkeeper Franco Acerbi. Carlos Contreras made four saves in the losing effort for the Gyrenes. St. Thomas' Oghogho tied Gokey for the game high with three shots attempted and two shots on goal.
Ave Maria will be on the road for the first time in 2020 on Wednesday, as the Gyrenes stay in Sun Conference play to take on the Warriors of Webber International University. Kickoff in Babson Park, which marks the first of two road games for AMU next week, is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.
