The UCA men’s soccer team clipped the wings of the University of North Florida Ospreys 6-2 Nov. 2, leading to UNF’s defeat in its own territory. 

The victory the Central Arkansas Bears (6-7-2, ASUN 3-3-1) secured successfully earned the Bears a spot in the Atlantic Sun Conference Championship. 

After the first period began, the Ospreys (6-7-3, ASUN 4-2-1)  wasted no time, eager to get a win in their home field. 

Two minutes into the period the Ospreys earned their first foul, and three minutes after that, UNF sophomore midfielder Anton Khelil took a shot. 

At just six minutes UNF managed to score the first point of the game. Senior forward Joaquin Acuna, assisted by junior midfielder Jaylen Yearwood and senior midfielder Rentaro Miyakawa, shot the ball into the net.

Even after its sudden victory, UNF men’s soccer continued to dominate the field; two players, Acuna and redshirt junior midfielder David Perez, managed to take two unavailing shots.

Then, the Bears finally caught the ball in their claws. 

The Central Arkansas Bears had finally made their way to the ball after 10 minutes into the game. 

Despite UNF holding the ball for most of the game up until that point, Central Arkansas matched UNF’s point as soon as the ball was in its grasp — UCA senior forward Devonte Richards, assisted by junior forward Pietro Fontana, made the point. 

After both teams had made their first goal, they took turns vying for the goal once more, with fouls occurring on both sides. 

Eighteen minutes into the game, the Bears managed to turn the trajectory of the game — and the ball — in their favor. 

Fontana, who had assisted with the team’s first goal, took the lead in shooting the second and scored UCA’s second point without any assists. 

The remainder of the first period was relatively uneventful. 

After substitutions made on behalf of both teams the Bears and Ospreys took turns making fouls and taking shots, but all were unsuccessful. 

Fortunately, Central Arkansas made it to the second and final period of the game holding two points over UNF’s head, while the Ospreys only held one. UNF, determined to up its score and level the playing field, took a series of shots 47 minutes into the game – just two minutes into the second period. 

UNF Ospreys graduate student forward Angus Taylor led the charge by taking a corner kick, but was met with a foul, not a goal. 

Abusada made the same move and unfortunately met the same fate as Taylor. 

Futile shots were made by UNF Ospreys Perez, Miyakawa and UCA Bear Richards as both teams clawed their way to the ball. 

At the 60-minute mark UCA sophomore midfielder Andres Robles, with an assist by senior defender Alex Kiss, broke the cycle of fruitless shots and made a goal, securing UCA’s third point in the game. 

For most of the first period, the Ospreys had kept the ball nestled between their wings, and although Central Arkansas had managed to turn the tables on them, the Bears fought until the very end. 

Acuna, without any assists, scored his team another goal — their second — but that number would be what remained until the end of the game. 

UCA Bears made goals at 60 minutes, 73 minutes, 75 minutes and 80 minutes before the game came to an end at 90 minutes while the Ospreys rested at two. 

Central Arkansas did not dominate in the end but did when it counted, landing them a safe, secure victory and a spot in the ASUN conference. 

The Central Arkansas Bears’s next game will be against the University of Charlotte Queens on Nov. 9 in DeLand, Florida.