FIU Notches First Win of the 2026 Season Over Howard

FIU found its first win of the season on Sunday in the program’s first-ever matchup against the Howard Bison. The Panthers were itching for a win after coming off a draw in their previous matchup vs Florida Gulf Coast. Howard was looking to bounce back from their worst loss of the year vs Florida Atlantic, a 7-0 defeat.

One of the biggest concerns for FIU since the season started was their ability to finish around the net. With only four goals scored in their first five games, the Panthers were poised for a breakthrough on the stat sheet. Valerey Restrepo has had a nice year so far, with Howard feeling her presence behind the net all afternoon.

Panthers Take the Lead

Mariana returns the favor👏 https://t.co/w01LYgQb6k pic.twitter.com/afM3qJF6Wt

— FIU Women's Soccer (@FIUWSoccer) August 30, 2026

Within the first five minutes of the match, Mariana Barreto notched her first goal of the year, assisted by Maya Maxwell, giving FIU a 1-0 lead. About 10 minutes later, Maxwell added to the lead, scoring her first goal of the season.

After Barreto returned the favor, Maxwell would finish the half with an assist and a goal. With a 2-0 lead and around 25 minutes left in the first half, Yuzu Tanida scored her second goal of the season. The Panthers finished the first half with a 3-0 lead vs Howard on just eight shot attempts to the Bison’s four.

Maya Maxwell Masterclass

Couldn’t have said it better ourselves

MASTERCLASS FROM MAYA😮‍💨 https://t.co/sSogjALBqf pic.twitter.com/rzZR8LuAem

— FIU Women's Soccer (@FIUWSoccer) August 30, 2026

In the second half, Maxwell scored her second goal of the game to take a 4-0 lead. For Maxwell, it marked her first career multi-goal performance.

The Bison answered and sent one through the net to cut the deficit to 4-1. As time wound down, Leyla Molina etched her first Panther goal, with another assist by Maxwell. A final score of 5-1 sealed FIU’s first victory of the season. Maya Maxwell stole the show, dishing out two assists and two goals, totaling a career-high six-point performance and a win.

What’s Next for the Panthers?

FIU improves to 1-2-3 in the early season with its next matchup being against a Florida rival. On September 3rd, FIU will host #14-ranked UCF at Leyva Family Field at 6 pm on ESPN+. The Panthers did upset UCF in their last meeting, 1-0, in 2025. FIU would be coming off a huge win, and that momentum could carry them to another upset.

(Visited 1 times, 1 visits today)