Marshall falls 3-0 to FAU

            Ramon Whittaker scored two second-half goals to give Florida Atlantic a 3-0 victory over the Marshall men’s soccer team, which continued to struggle offensively.

            Whittaker, senior from Clarendon, Jamaica, scored goals in the 60th and 64th minutes to add to the first half goal from Jason Fitzgerald, sophomore from Parkland, Florida, to put the Saturday night game at Hoops Family Field out of reach for the offensive-challenged Thundering Herd.

            “We thought this was a game we could go after them, but right now we don’t have anyone who wants to step-up and score goals,” head coach Bob Gray said. “We’ve been struggling. We have to find someone that has the know-how and tenacity to find ways to score goals.”

            Marshall (2-5-2, 1-1-0) outshot Florida Atlantic (1-5-2, 1-0-1) 15-8 and won the corner kick battle 10-3. Despite the offensive output, Florida Atlantic goalkeeper Theo Jamilloux, sophomore from Toulouse, France, made four saves to shutout Marshall in front of 657 spectators.

            “The problem is we really don’t get clear-cut chances,” said Christian Kershaw, freshman from Severna Park, Maryland. “They’re more half chances. We’re reaching and poking it. Clear-cut one-on-one opportunities are what we need to develop in order to win.”

            The Thundering Herd won two games in a row on the road winning 1-0 at both Evansville and South Carolina before consecutive losses falling 1-0 to Saint Francis (Pennsylvania) on the road and the Florida Atlantic loss at home.

            “It’s been a work in progress,” Gray said. “We thought we had figured it out. This is the third straight game we started the same line-up. It wasn’t like we changed a bunch of things.”

Changes may be on the horizon and the changes may start with Daniel Jodah, sophomore from Misissauga, Ontario.

            “We may have to experiment with getting someone up top that’s going to be a little more dangerous,” Gray said. “We may have to find ways to better utilize Daniel Jodah. He seems to be the one guy who has the ability to beat players.”

            With Conference USA play in full swing, Gray said time is running out.

            “We’re just not a very good team right now,” Gray said. “That’s the bottom line. We have to get right in a hurry.”

            Marshall will look to reverse its offensive woes on Wednesday in a Conference USA match-up against Old Dominion. Following the Monarchs the Thundering Herd travels to Kentucky on Sunday to take on another conference foe in the Wildcats.