TAMPA, Fla. — For the second time in four days, Stetson men's soccer found the back of the net four times on the road.
This time, the Hatters saved their biggest strikes for the closing minutes.
Justin Blanco broke a 2-2 deadlock with a highlight-reel goal in the 85th minute before Valentin Fontaine converted from the penalty spot just 23 seconds later, putting the finishing touches on a 4-2 victory over South Florida on a rainy Tuesday night at Corbett Soccer Stadium.
The victory gave Stetson its second consecutive road win following Saturday's 4-1 victory at Lipscomb and improved the Hatters to 4-6-2 overall. After scoring nine times through their opening 10 matches, the Hatters have erupted for eight goals over their last two.
South Florida controlled much of the early possession and opened the scoring in the 11th minute. Jakob Auby gave the Bulls a 1-0 advantage at 10:47 as the hosts began a first half in which they would generate 12 shots.
Stetson, however, needed only one opportunity to respond.
Israel Daniels helped create the equalizer in the 25th minute, setting up Mauricio Restrepo for his second goal of the season. Restrepo's finish leveled the match at 1-1 and ultimately sent the teams into halftime even despite South Florida holding a 12-2 advantage in first-half shots.
The Hatters came out of the break with a different look and needed less than eight minutes to grab their first lead of the night.
Freshman Matthew Perez struck at 52:57 to put Stetson ahead 2-1, scoring his third goal of the season. The goal continued a productive debut campaign for Perez and gave the Hatters their first advantage after playing from behind for much of the opening half.
South Florida answered once again in the 64th minute. Tyler Richardson scored his fourth goal of the season off an assist from Matheo Becerra, bringing the Bulls level at 2-2 and setting up a tense final 26 minutes.
With the match still even inside the final six minutes, Blanco produced the decisive moment.
Daniels picked up his second assist of the night when he found Blanco outside the box, and the freshman midfielder did the rest. Blanco connected on a half-volley from roughly 22 yards out, bending his strike away from the goalkeeper and into the net at 84:27 to send Stetson back in front, 3-2.
The goal was Blanco's second of the season, and his only shot of the match proved to be the game winner. For Daniels, the assist completed a two-assist night and gave the sophomore two points in the victory.
Before South Florida had time to regroup, the Hatters struck again.
Just 23 seconds later, Stetson earned a penalty and Fontaine stepped to the spot. The sophomore calmly converted at 84:50, stretching the advantage to 4-2 and effectively putting the match away. It marked Fontaine's first goal of the season.
The late flurry capped a remarkably efficient offensive night for the Hatters. South Florida finished with an 18-7 advantage in total shots, but the teams were even with five shots on goal apiece. Stetson converted four of those five attempts on target and scored three times after halftime. The Hatters also earned four corner kicks while the Bulls finished with nine.
Restrepo led Stetson with three shots, putting two on frame and scoring once. Perez, Blanco and Fontaine each scored on their lone attempt of the night, while Daniels supplied assists on both Restrepo's first-half equalizer and Blanco's eventual game winner.
Mac McCall made his return to the starting lineup in goal and went the full 90 minutes, making three saves to earn the victory. Junior Essengue and Jaxson Lee also played all 90 minutes in front of him as the Hatters held South Florida to one second-half goal despite continued pressure from the hosts.
"I'm really proud of the team," head coach Emmett Rutkowski said. "We have started to find our identity at the right time in the season. It was such a team effort and a few young guys in JB (Justin Blanco) and Matt Perez with some unbelievable goals. Mac made some great saves to keep the win intact. We need to turn our focus on the ASUN as it's a tight race for the tournament and the second seed."
That team effort has fueled a sudden offensive surge for a Stetson side that has found its finishing touch away from home. After scoring four times at Lipscomb on Saturday, the Hatters matched that output just three days later in Tampa. Stetson has now scored eight goals over its last 180 minutes and has won consecutive road matches after entering the Lipscomb trip still searching for its first road victory of the season.
The win also snapped South Florida's two-match winning streak in the series. The Bulls had taken each of the previous two meetings by identical 3-2 scores, while Stetson's previous victory at Corbett Soccer Stadium came in 2022.
Stetson improves to 4-6-2 overall and remains 2-3-0 in ASUN play, while South Florida falls to 1-9-1 overall and 0-3-1 in American Conference action.
The Hatters now turn their attention back to a tightly contested ASUN race as they return home to host Jacksonville on Saturday, Oct. 10. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. at the Athletic Training Center in DeLand.
About Stetson Athletics
At Stetson University, student-athletes don't just compete—they thrive. Located in historic DeLand, Florida, between Orlando and Daytona Beach, Stetson offers the perfect blend of competitive athletics, academic excellence, and an unbeatable Central Florida lifestyle. As the oldest private university in the region, Stetson supports approximately 500 student-athletes across 19 NCAA Division I sports. Nicknamed the "Hatters" after the institution's namesake John B. Stetson, a hat manufacturer who originated the modern-day cowboy hat, most Stetson athletic teams compete in the Atlantic Sun Conference, where they proudly hold the longest active membership since 1985. With top-tier facilities, personalized support, and a welcoming campus community, Stetson is where students can grow, compete, and succeed. Learn more at GoHatters.com or follow social media accounts @StetsonHatters.
