Men's Soccer Travels to Begin Conference Play

Lakeland, Fla. - The Southeastern men's soccer team dropped a tough one on its home pitch to Florida National University 4-1 last Saturday. The loss snapped a six game home winning streak for SEU. Senior midfielder Pedro Ivo Dias netted the lone goal of the contest for the Fire off a penalty kick. Ivo Dias now leads the team in scoring with four goals netted on the season. The Fire will return to a place that has been all too familiar in 2016, the road. SEU is set to open Sun Conference play with a pair of games at Keiser University and Johnson & Wales University.
 
GAMES: (RV) Southeastern (3-5) vs. Keiser University (4-3) | Wednesday 1 p.m. | (RV) Southeastern (3-5) vs. Johnson & Wales University (4-2) | Saturday 4 p.m.

COVERAGE: Keiser: Watch Stats      Johnson & Wales: Watch Stats

SOAK UP THE SUN: The defending Sun Conference Champions begin its journey to try to repeat the feat in 2016. Last season, the Fire posted an impressive 10-1 record in regular season and postseason conference play. In 2015, SEU outscored conference opponents 27-7 and recorded a total of eight shutouts. The team returns 21 of those 27 scores, including Ivo Dias, who netted a team-leading six goals against Sun Conference teams last season. If Southeastern defeats Keiser, it would be the team's third straight win in TSC openers. If the Fire lose at Keiser, it would be the first time SEU has dropped a TSC road game since 11/08/14 against Thomas University.

VERSUS KEISER:  Southeastern defeated Keiser in two meetings last season. In the regular season matchup, the Fire won 1-0 after then junior Corey Mills netted the lone goal of the match in the 68^th minute. SEU won an overtime thriller in the conference tournament over the Seahawks 2-1 after then freshman Luke Marchesani tied up the game 1-1 to send the contest into overtime where fellow freshman Jake Van Der Luit headed one into the upper 90 to give the Fire a walk-off victory. Keiser (formerly known as Northwood up until 2015) leads the all-time series versus SEU 10-4-1.

VERSUS JOHNSON & WALES: The Wildcats handed the Fire its sole loss in Sun Conference play last season. Ivo Dias netted two goals in 12 minutes to bring SEU back from a 3-1 deficit, however, J&W would net the game winning goal in the 81^st minute. Only one Wildcat who netted a goal against the Fire in that game will return for the 2016 matchup. Southeastern leads the all-time series versus Johnson & Wales 5-2.

THE SEAHAWKS: Keiser University is already 2-0 in Sun Conference play for the third straight season after posting back to back wins over Warner and Weber International. The team is 4-0 when tied or leading at the half. Junior Yavapai College transfer Reece Weldon has been a standout player for the Seahawks, scoring six goals and recording six assists so far in 2016. He recorded multi-goal games versus 19^th ranked Cumberland (Tenn.) and Warner. Keiser is coached by Joe Zakowicz, who is in his fourth season with the program. In four years, Zakowicz has posted a 23-23-6 overall record and 16-9-4 in conference play.

THE WILDCATS: Johnson & Wales has also gotten off to a 2-0 start in conference action after earning back to back wins over Weber International and Warner. The Wildcats posted an impressive 2-0 win over NCAA Division II Nova Southeastern University on September 11^th. Sophomore forward Valentine Salina comes into the matchup with confidence, after netting two goals in the team's victory over Warner. Salina is one of four players who netted a goal in the Wildcats 4-3 victory over the Fire last season. Head Coach Phil Zayas is in his second season with the program. Zayas holds 12 years of coaching experience at the high school and club levels and has posted a 119-32-7 record as a head coach.