Lightning calls off FGCU soccer
FGCU’s soccer team came up 6 1/2 minutes short of an official game Wednesday night, leading Central Florida 2-0 when a second lightning delay canceled the contest.
With 26:33 left on the clock in the second half, the Eagles (0-0-1) and Knights (1-0) headed home instead. Had the delay occurred at the 70-minute mark it would have been official.
Being deemed a “no contest,” it’s as if the game never occurred, and the statistics recorded are null and void. The lone exception to the statistics not being recorded is a red card issued to UCF’s Neico Regent will carry over and he is ineligible to play in the Knights’ next game.
A 1-hour and 43-minute lightning delay near the end of the first half prevented any play from 7:47 p.m. until 9:30. When play resumed, Miguel Jaime converted a penalty kick just 1:35 before the half, giving the Eagles a 1-0 lead.
After an abbreviated halftime, Rielee Mohsin scored FGCU’s second penalty kick when he was pulled down by Regent in the box, prompting the red card and forcing UCF to play with 10 men. Shortly after, the horn blew again as lightning was in the area.
FGCU travels to Winston-Salem, N.C., to face Wake Forest (2-0) at 7 p.m. Saturday.