After an 11-day break, the No. 8-ranked and top-seeded Florida International University men's soccer team took the pitch in the semifinals of the 2017 Conference USA Tournament, as the Panthers team was in a dogfight before dropping a tough 3-1 decision to the No. 4-seed Charlotte at the ODU Soccer Complex in Norfolk, Virginia.
The loss snaps the Panthers' 15-match unbeaten streak, the second longest in school history. FIU drops to 11-1-4 on the year while the 49ers improve to 8-4-6.
FIU struck first in the 12th minute when Paul Maries took a soft touch from reigning C-USA Player of the Year, Santiago Patino, and beat Charlotte goalkeeper Elliot Panicco to make the score 1-0. It was Marie's seventh goal of the season for the C-USA first team member.
Charlotte got the equalizer in the 24th minute when Daniel Bruce fed Marco Sunol-Rojas and he buried a shot past FIU's Hugo Fauroux.
In the 77th minute, Joe Brito tallied the eventual game-winner, making the score 2-1. With 21 seconds left in regulation, Charlotte's Noah Seach scored an insurance goal putting the game out of reach.
Fauroux recorded three saves for the Panthers in the loss.
The 49ers had the upper hand offensively, outshooting FIU 14-7, including a 6-4 advantage in shots on goal.