LAKELAND, Fla. – The No. 3 Southeastern University women's soccer team concluded last week with a 9-0 handling of the Florida Memorial University Lions on the road. Earlier that week, SEU fought No. 9 Keiser to a 1-1 tie in an epic Sun Conference showdown on its home pitch. The Fire are back at the SEU Soccer Complex this week for a pair of conference contests, hosting the Thomas University Night Hawks, followed by the St. Thomas University Bobcats.
MATCHES:
No. 3 Southeastern (10-1-1, 3-0-1 TSC) vs. Thomas (3-4-2, 2-1 TSC) Wednesday 7:00 p.m.
No. 3 Southeastern (10-1-1, 3-0-1 TSC) vs. St. Thomas (3-4-1, 0-3 TSC) Saturday 7:00 p.m.
COVERAGE:
WATCH/LIVE STATS
FIRE FOCUS:
- Having to exit the contest early versus Florida Memorial due to injury, junior forwards Uchenna Kanu saw her 11-game scoring streak snapped. The Abia, Nigeria native still leads the NAIA in goals scored with 30 on the season.
- Three of the top five Sun Conference leaders in points per game are on the Southeastern roster. Kanu ranks first (5.67) while redshirt-freshman forward Summer Rusher ranks fourth (2.64) and graduate midfielder Gabriella DiDio ranks fifth (2.00).
- Rusher is coming off a two goal, three assist game versus Florida Memorial.
- The Ludgershall, England native leads the conference in assists per game (1.00) and is just three helpers away from tying the single-season assists program record set by teammate Aisha Solorzano last season.
- DiDio is currently riding a six-match point streak, totaling four goals and five assists during that streak.
- Freshman goalkeeper Holly Eddins is coming off a career-high 10 saves versus Keiser. Eight of those 10 saves came during the second half or overtime periods. The lone goal surrendered to Keiser was the Seahawks' lowest scoring total in TSC play this season.
- Eddins' performance earned her Sun Conference Defensive Player of the Week distinction.
HOME COOKIN:
- The Fire have not lost in 30 consecutive home matches.
- SEU has shut out opposing sides in 23 of those 30 home matches.
- SEU has outscored opponents 139-8 during that stretch.
- The Fire have never lost at the SEU Soccer Complex under head coach Randy Belli.
SOAK UP THE SUN
- The Fire are 25-2-2 (.897) versus Sun Conference opponents under Randy Belli.
- 16 of those 25 conference wins have been shutouts.
- Southeastern has outscored conference opponents 146-20 during that stretch.
- Kanu has netted 46 goals in Sun Conference play all-time.
THOMAS ALL-TIME
- The Fire trail the all-time series versus the Night Hawks 3-2, having been outscored 18-14 in those contests.
- SEU has won two straight in the series.
- Last season, Kanu set the single-game program record for goals scored versus Thomas, finding the back of the net five times in Thomasville.
- Junior midfielder Bania Duran has netted a goal in each season of her collegiate career versus Thomas.
ST. THOMAS ALL-TIME
- The Fire trail the all-time series versus the Bobcats 8-7, STU holding the scoring advantage 27-16.
- Southeastern has won four consecutive in the series.
- Kanu has netted three goals in four games versus the Bobcats. Sophomore forward Aisha Solorzano is the only other active SEU player to have ever scored versus STU.
THE NIGHT HAWKS:
- Thomas suffered its first loss in Sun Conference play this past week, a 4-0 defeat by Keiser.
- With the loss to the Seahawks, the Night Hawks dropped to 0-4 on the season versus teams above .500.
- Thomas is looking to clinch its seventh straight berth in The Sun Conference Tournament.
- Freshman defender Jahzyiah Samuels-Williams leads Thomas in goals scored (4).
- Senior goalkeeper and former Polk State Eagle Kara Houston has 178 career saves for TU and 10 career saves versus SEU.
THE BOBCATS:
- St. Thomas is looking to avoid its first 0-4 start in Sun Conference play in program history.
- After a promising 3-0 start, the Bobcats are 0-4-1 over their last five with all four of those losses coming by two goals or less.
- The Bobcats rank fourth in the conference in shots on goal per game (9.25), but struggle to finish their chances with just 1.5 goals scored per contest (ninth in the conference).
- Sophomore forward Eva Castano Candela has scored a STU-leading five times this season, however, has not netted a goal in three straight matches.
- Castano Candela scored versus SEU last season in the TSC semifinals.
TALE OF THE TAPE:
SEU
Goals per Game: 5.58
Shots per Game: 23.75
Shots on Goal per Game: 13.17
Shutouts: 7
Individual Goals Leader:
Uchenna Kanu (30)
Individual Assists Leader:
Summer Rusher (11)
Individual Saves Leader:
Holly Eddins (42)
TU
Goals per Game: 1.89
Shots per Game: 14.11
Shots on Goal per Game: 7.56
Shutouts: 1
Individual Goals Leader: Jahzyiah Samules-Williams (4)
Individual Assists Leader: Anna Gray (2)
Individual Saves Leader: Kara Houston (42)
STU
Goals per Game: 1.5
Shots per Game: 18.3
Shots on Goal per Game: 9.25
Shutouts: 1
Individual Goals Leader: Eva Castano Candela (5)
Individual Assists Leader: Sandy Benito (2)
Individual Saves Leader: Veronica Gonzalez (34)
BELLI'S BRAIN:
"Thomas and St. Thomas have always given us tough games. We are thankful to be playing both of these games on our home field in front of the Fire Nation, but we recognize both these sides will give us their best match and we have to be prepared to bring our best match as well,"
Randy Belli Southeastern Head Coach.
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