Nona FC Drops Home Contest Against Sporting Club JAX

LAKE NONA – Bernardo Monteiro’s curling finish was not enough as Nona FC suffered its first loss of the season, falling 2-1 to Sporting Club JAX after a prolonged rain delay Sunday night at Austin-Tindall Sports Complex.

The Longhorns (2-1-0, Southeast Division) started on the back foot after Sporting JAX’s (1-1-1, Southeast Division) Osei Gyamfi tested Nona goalkeeper Steingrimur Gunnarsson with a low strike that bounced off of the post in the ninth minute.

Just one minute later, Ethan Newsome chipped a ball to JAX midfielder Joey Mueller, who weaved through multiple Nona defenders and fired past Gunnarsson to score his fourth goal in eight games against Nona.

In the 51st minute, Bernardo Monteiro pulled one back for the Black and Orange with his well-placed curler that found the bottom right corner, giving Nona hope of a positive result.

However, not long after, Ethan Newsome sent in a corner kick that fell between the crowd in the penalty area, before midfielder Tyler Prebenda pounced to poke home the eventual game-winner.

The Longhorns attempted to even the score, and Jemone Barclay’s rifled shot in stoppage time narrowly missed the top left corner of the goal.

With the result, Nona suffers its first defeat of the season, tying its best ever start in a league campaign with Gui Henry’s 2022 squad. Sporting Club Jax gets its first victory of the season, snapping a two-game winless run.

The Black and Orange now have a break before their next match, when they host Brevard SC for the second time this season on June 3 at 7 p.m. 

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