MIAMI, FL – After dropping one game and tying another game during the final stretch of the season, and getting bounced in the first round of the AAC Championship, FIU punched in their ticket to the 2023 NCAA DI Men’s Soccer Tournament on Monday.
“I’m so excited for the boys,” said Head FIU soccer coach Kyle Russell to the FIU Men’s soccer website page. “They worked so hard and they came in fit. Every training meant something. Every game meant something. I’m extremely pleased for our group.”
This is the third consecutive year that the Panthers have clinched a spot in the tournament. Before this season, FIU had won the 2021 Conference USA Championship and 2022 AAC Title.
FIU had a strong nine-win season, but it wasn’t compared to their 2022 season which resulted in 14 overall wins and six AAC conference wins.
The Panthers were led by the duo of Bernardo De Santos Monteiro and Eduardo Mustre, who combined for a total of 17 goals.
The Panthers are set to take on the Mercer Bears, who this season had a seven-win season, but went 1-2-2 in the conference. Still, they managed to win the Southern Conference Championship, which essentially was an automatic bid into the tournament.
This season, the Bears were led by freshman Barzee Blama who had eight goals and one assist as he started 17 of the 20 games that they played.
The highly anticipated matchup between both teams is set for Thursday, November 16th at 7pm at the FIU Soccer stadium.
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