Box Score BLUFFTON, S.C. – In what was the highest scoring performance versus a Sun Conference opponent in program history, the No. 11 Southeastern University women's soccer team took down the USC Beaufort Sand Sharks 9-1 on the road. The Fire have scored six or more goals in four of their last five Sun Conference games.
The Fire wasted little time establishing control of possession and executing excellent build up play. In the fifth minute, sophomore midfielder
Bania Duran slipped in sophomore forward.
Uchenna Kanu, who ripped the ball past the keeper to put SEU on the board.
Duran's prowess led to another scoring chance, as the Homestead native played a through ball to junior forward
Shayna Cole, who slotted the ball into the back of the net in the 15
th minute.
Southeastern capped off a three goal half in the 43
rd minute, when sophomore defender
Konya Plummer came out of the back, had a combination outside the 18 with Kanu, slipped her in, and Kanu finished chance.
SEU took a 3-0 lead into the half.
The Fire exited the half fueled and motivated, adding three more goals to their total in the first 11 minutes of play in the second half.
Kanu notched her fifth hat trick of the season in the 50th minute when freshman forward
Aisha Solorzano gained the ball off a turnover, dribbled, and played Kanu in through the seam.
In the 52
nd minute, Kanu distributed a through ball of her own to Plummer in the box, who calmly side-footed it past the keeper to put SEU up 5-0.
The Fire concluded the flurry of offense to open up the half in the 56
th minute, after Solorzano offered a diagonal pass to Cole, who dropped it to her left foot and smashed it into the back of the net to give Southeastern a commanding 6-0 lead.
"I thought we could have scored more goals in the first half. I challenged them at the half and I am proud of how they came out in the first 10 minutes and really put the game away," shared Head Coach
Randy Belli.
The Sand Sharks netted their lone goal of the match in the 67
th minute off a penalty kick.
The Fire responded just 30 seconds later, as senior midfielder
Nicole Shaffer connected a beautiful pass to graduate forward
Estefania Fuentes, who megged the goalkeeper for the score
"Today we were patient in our build up and once we got to the final third we were able to see our seams and slip balls through. We timed our runs well and were able to finish every time we got a nice ball," remarked
Shayna Cole.
Southeastern was not finished. In the 84
th minute, Solorzano chopped the USCB keeper for her fourth goal of the season.
SEU typed the exclamation point on a dominant victory in the 86
th minute when Fuentes headed in a pin point cross from Solorzano for her seventh goal of the season.
With Kanu's hat trick, and Cole and Fuentes each scoring two goals, this marked the first time the Fire have had three players with multi-goal games since 9/8/12 versus Florida Christian College.
Solorzano finished the day with three assists, marking the second consecutive season the Fire have had a true freshman notch three helpers in a game. Plummer performed the feat last year.
Southeastern has outscored conference opponents 31-4 in the last five games.
The Fire look to finish the home stretch of the regular season strong, as they host the Warner University Royals next Wednesday at 7:00p.m.
