LAKELAND, Fla. – After a 19-day layoff prompted by the anticipation and aftermath of Hurricane Irma, the No. 14 Southeastern University women's soccer team is set to resume the 2017 campaign. The Fire host Johnson & Wales University for their Sun Conference opener this Saturday night. SEU has won three consecutive conference openers.
GAME: No. 14 Southeastern (5-0) vs. Johnson & Wales (3-2) Saturday 7:30 p.m.
COVERAGE: LIVE STATS VIDEO
SPECIAL K: Sophomore forward
Uchenna Kanu has comprised a special start to the 2017 season. Despite the lengthy layoff, Kanu still ranks fourth in the NAIA in goals (11), ninth in assists (5), and third in points (27). The Abia, Nigeria native notched the first four goal game for SEU since 2009 in the 6-0 handling of Evangel and also assisted on the lone goal in the win over Reinhardt with a beautiful cut back ball to graduate midfielder
Estefania Fuentes. Her performances earned her a second consecutive Sun Conference Offensive Player of the week nod. An astounding 68.4% of Kanu's shot attempts have been on frame this season.
NO SHOT: The SEU back line continues to stifle opposing offenses. In their last three games, the Fire have outshot their opponents 84-6, which includes blanking Columbia International 35-0 in their most recent matchup. Anchored by senior center back
Heidi Ruth, who recently earned Sun Conference Defensive Player of the Week honors, the back line continues to control possession and dictate the pace of play.
THE WILDCATS: After an impressive 3-0 start to the season in which they outscored opponents 11-2, Johnson & Wales has dropped two straight. JWU suffered a pair of 2-1 defeats to Florida National and NCAA DII Nova Southeastern. Freshman forward Savannah Jackson facilitates the vast majority of the Wildcats' scoring chances. The Davenport native has already netted eight goals. This includes as seven point game versus Life on August 28 in which Jackson notched a hat trick and recorded her lone assist on the season.
FIRE FACTS:
- SEU leads the all-time series versus JWU 5-2-1, having outscored the Wildcats 23-6.
- Sophomores Bania Duran and Konya Plummer both found the back of the net versus Johnson & Wales last season.
- The Fire currently hold a 15 game home win streak. The last loss on their home pitch came against JWU on 10/3/15.
For all the latest updates on Southeastern women's soccer, be sure to follow @SEUFireWSoccer on Twitter.
