LAKELAND, Fla. – The newly-ranked NAIA No. 1 Southeastern University women's soccer team powered past Johnson & Wales in The Sun Conference Tournament Semifinal Tuesday night. After JWU knotted things up 2-2 in the second half, the Fire went on to score seven unanswered goals, eventually earning the victory 10-3. For the third consecutive season, SEU competes in The Sun Conference Tournament Final and for the third straight year they will face the same opponent, the Keiser University Seahawks.
The Sun Conference Tournament Final:
No. 1 Seed Southeastern (17-1-1, 9-0-1 TSC) vs. No. 2 Seed Keiser (16-2-1, 9-0-1 TSC)
COVERAGE:
WATCH/LIVE STATS
FIRE FOCUS:
- Southeastern's seven unanswered goals versus Johnson & Wales came in a span of 14:22.
- Junior forward Uchenna Kanu netted four goals and recorded four assists to push her season total of goals scored to 50. Kanu is three scores away from tying the NAIA single-season goals record at 53.
- Junior forward Rachel Wallace is coming off registering a hat trick off the bench in a span of just 5:41, the fastest hat trick in program history.
- Both Kanu and graduate midfielder Gabriella DiDio set a new single-season program record with assists. Both players now have 17 helpers on the season.
- The Fire lead the Wildcats 2-0 at the half. SEU is 7-0-1 when leading at the half in the postseason under head coach Randy Belli.
HOME COOKIN:
- The Fire have not lost in 34 consecutive home matches.
- SEU has shut out opposing sides in 26 of those 34 home matches.
- SEU has outscored opponents 158-11 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 32-2-2 (.914) versus Sun Conference opponents under Randy Belli.
- 22 of those 33 conference wins have been shutouts.
- Southeastern has outscored conference opponents 183-23 during that stretch.
POSTSEASON POWER
- SEU is 8-1-1 in the postseason all-time under Belli's guidance.
- The Fire have outscored opponents 41-11 in those matches.
- Kanu has 15 postseason goals all-time.
KU ALL-TIME:
- The Fire and the Seahawks battled to a 1-1 tie earlier this season. Kanu and Matilda Ovenberger were the lone goal scorers in the match.
- Southeastern and Keiser were named Sun Conference Regular Season Co-Champions this season.
- SEU defeated KU in the conference tournament final last season 4-2 to clinch the Fire's first ever win over the Seahawks and their first Sun Conference Championship.
- The Seahawks edged the Fire in penalties 4-3 in the 2016 conference tournament Final.
THE SEAHAWKS:
- Keiser outshot USCB an astounding 53-0 in their semifinal match, knocking out the Sand Sharks 3-0.
- This marks the seventh straight appearance for Keiser in The Sun Conference Tournament Final.
- Ovenberger netted two of the three KU goals in the semifinal win. The Sodra Sanby, Sweden native pushed her season goal total to 27 in the victory.
- Ovenberger has found the back of the net in eight straight matches, including eight goals in her last four outings.
- The Seahawks have not been held under two goals in a match since facing the Fire in the regular season.
TALE OF THE TAPE:
SEU
Goals per Game: 5.47
Shots per Game: 25
Shots on Goal per Game: 12.95
Shutouts: 13
Individual Goals Leader:
Uchenna Kanu (50)
Individual Assists Leader: Two Tied (17)
Individual Saves Leader:
Holly Eddins (58)
KU
Goals per Game: 4
Shots per Game: 27.89
Shots on Goal per Game: 12.89
Shutouts: 10
Individual Goals Leader: Matilda Ovenberger (27)
Individual Assists Leader: Filippa Millqvist (18)
Individual Saves Leader: Nina Haeberlin (60)
BELLI'S BRAIN:
"The Sun Conference Championship game will feature two of the top five teams in the country. It will be a great match for all the fans and we are looking forward to the challenge,"-
Randy Belli Southeastern Head Coach.
Be sure to follow @SEUFireWSoccer on Twitter for all of the latest updates on Fire soccer.
