Tampa Spartans turn around first-half deficit to reach SSC tournament

University of Tampa men's soccer players will advance to the 2026 Sunshine State Conference Tournament. The Spartans defeated Nova Southeastern 2-1 on Saturday night at Pepin Stadium, securing the necessary conference win in front of 500 fans.

Nova Southeastern took an early lead in the 15th minute. Erik Krohnstad scored the goal on an assist from Oscar Fernandez. Tampa goalkeeper Alex Hare made two key saves in the first half to keep the deficit at one goal when the teams broke for halftime.

The dynamic shifted immediately after halftime. Tommaso Polidori converted a penalty kick in the 47th minute to tie the game. That goal marked his fourth of the season. The Spartans then dominated possession, recording eight shots on goal while Nova Southeastern attempted none in the second period. Tampa held an 11-5 advantage in total shots for the match.

Tassilo Koerner scored the winning goal in the 76th minute. He finished an unassisted strike shortly after a Spartan corner kick. Polidori received a red card in the final minute, but the defensive unit maintained the lead until the final whistle. Hare recorded the win on the goal.

The victory moves Tampa's overall record to 5-5-4 and their conference record to 4-3-2. The team now holds 14 points in SSC play. Mason Clark, William Waters, and Taka Onoguchi contributed to the offensive pressure during the decisive period.

The Spartans will conclude their 2026 regular season on Wednesday, October 28. They travel to Boca Raton to face Lynn University at 5:00 p.m.