LAKELAND, Fla. – With the regular season wrapped up, the No. 2 Southeastern University women's soccer team sets its sights on postseason play. With a 16-1-1 overall record and 9-0-1 in conference action, the Fire earned a share of The 2018 Sun Conference Regular Season Championship, as well as the No. 1 overall seed in The Sun Conference Tournament. For the third consecutive season, SEU competes in the tournament semifinals. Southeastern hosts the fourth-seeded Johnson & Wales University Wildcats tomorrow night.
The Sun Conference Tournament Semifinal:
No. 1 Seed Southeastern (16-1-1, 9-0-1 TSC) vs. No. 4 Seed Johnson & Wales (10-6, 6-4 TSC)
COVERAGE:
WATCH/LIVE STATS
FIRE FOCUS:
- The Fire enter tonight's match having recorded seven consecutive shutouts. SEU has not conceded a goal in 720 consecutive minutes played.
- Southeastern features four of the top-10 players in the conference in points per game, the most of any other team.
- Junior forward Uchenna Kanu enters postseason play seven goals away from tying the NAIA single-season scoring record.
- Kanu and graduate midfielder Gabriella DiDio are also one assist away from tying the single-season program record in assists.
- Freshman goalkeeper Holly Eddins is perfect in her last 26 save opportunities.
- The Fire placed nine on the Sun Conference All-Conference Team.
HOME COOKIN:
- The Fire have not lost in 33 consecutive home matches.
- SEU has shut out opposing sides in 26 of those 33 home matches.
- SEU has outscored opponents 148-8 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 31-2-2 (.914) versus Sun Conference opponents under Randy Belli.
- 22 of those 31 conference wins have been shutouts.
- Southeastern has outscored conference opponents 173-20 during that stretch.
POSTSEASON POWER
- SEU is 7-1-1 in the postseason all-time under Belli's guidance.
- The Fire have outscored opponents 31-8 in those matches.
- Kanu has 11 postseason goals all-time.
JWU ALL-TIME:
- Southeastern is 7-2-1 versus Johnson & Wales all-time, having competed against the Wildcats each season since the Fire joined the NAIA in 2009.
- The Fire have outscored the Wildcats 32-6 and shutout JWU five times in those matches.
- The most goals SEU has scored against JWU is nine on 9/24/09.
- Southeastern has not lost to Johnson & Wales since a 1-0 defeat on 10/3/15.
- The Fire defeated the Wildcats 8-1 in the regular season on the road. Kanu posted a four-goal game, while Summer Rusher, Aisha Solorzano, and Yulie Lopez also found the back of the net.
THE WILDCATS:
- With a 3-0 win over fifth-seeded Warner in The Sun Conference Tournament Quarterfinal last Saturday, Johnson & Wales notched its first 10-win season in program history, as well as its first NAIA postseason victory.
- Sophomore sensation Savannah Jackson netted two goals in the victory over the Royals. Jackson has netted 26 goals on the season, including seven in her last five matches.
- Senior forward Carissa Sanchez netted a goal and recorded two assists against WU. Sanchez has scored a goal in five of her last six matches.
- Freshman goalkeeper Kellie Fitzpatrick has posted a .931 save percentage in her last four outings, totaling 26 saves during that stretch.
TALE OF THE TAPE:
SEU
Goals per Game: 5.22
Shots per Game: 24.5
Shots on Goal per Game: 12.78
Shutouts: 13
Individual Goals Leader:
Uchenna Kanu (46)
Individual Assists Leader: Two Tied DiDio (13)
Individual Saves Leader:
Holly Eddins (58)
JWU
Goals per Game: 2.75
Shots per Game: 16.63
Shots on Goal per Game: 8.34
Shutouts: 5
Individual Goals Leader: Savannah Jackson (26)
Individual Assists Leader: Carissa Sanchez (6)
Individual Saves Leader: Kellie Fitzpatrick (94)
BELLI'S BRAIN:
"Johnson & Wales is coming off a fantastic win and they have an explosive offense. It is going to be a tough match for us. Having the home support will be a great help as we search for another trip to The Sun Conference Tournament Final"
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Randy Belli Southeastern Head Coach.
Be sure to follow @SEUFireWSoccer on Twitter for all of the latest updates on Fire soccer.
