SAINT LEO, Fla. – The Saint Leo men's soccer team dished out a national upset, delivering No. 14 Palm Beach Atlantic's (5-1-1, 0-1-1 SSC) first loss of the season in a 2-1 decision Saturday night at the Saint Leo Soccer Field. The Lions' Sunshine State Conference victory extended the program's perfect home record to three under the direction of first-year head coach Brett Parker.
 
Saint Leo (4-4, 1-1 SSC) freshman forward, Mauro Diaz, cleaned up a loose ball in the box after Federico Toschi fired one from the right post, shocking the Sailfish (5-1-1, 0-1-1 SSC). The quick-strike allowed the Lions to hold the lead until the 31^st minute when Cadu Cusatis capitalized on a defensive slip and beat senior goalkeeper, Christian Evans, in a head-to-head battle.
 
The Sailfish swarmed the Lions defensive half with momentum. Just as the visitors believed they pulled ahead with a second goal, the offside flag was raised.
 
Five minutes later, Gabriel Rickmann's forward flick was all Elias Niesigk needed to squeeze a strike inside the far right post, tallying his second-straight appearance in the scoring column.
 
Palm Beach Atlantic (PBA) suffered déjà vu deep into the second half. The 77^th minute held another offside call voiding a potential equalizer. Despite the nerve-racking half, neither team touched the scoreboard in the latter 45 minutes of play.
 
Evans had a day during his third start between the pipes. The Atherton, England product showcased seven saves in the form of both top shelf and one-on-one situations.
 
Overall, PBA took 19 shots, with eight on frame, while the Green and Gold put up six shots with four on target. PBA went home after seven corner kicks. The Lions forced two saves out of the visitors and was not awarded a corner all night.
 
Saint Leo continues play at the Saint Leo Soccer Field on Wednesday, Oct. 2 against Eckerd at 7 p.m.
 
For the latest news, updates, and information on the Saint Leo men's soccer team, visit SaintLeoLions.com. Fans can also stay up-to-date on the latest Lions news by following Saint Leo Athletics on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.