LAKELAND, Fla.- The No. 13 Southeastern University men's soccer team turned in another clean sheet tonight, as the Fire shut out the University of the Virgin Islands Buccaneers 5-0 in a non-conference bout. This marked Southeastern's fifth-consecutive shutout.
It did not take the Fire long to break down the Buccaneers' defensive alignment. Junior midfielder
Noah Richmond finished a well-timed through ball from senior forward
Craig Barker far post in the 9
th minute to put SEU up 1-0. This marked Richmond's first goal of the season and his first score since the game-winner in The Sun Conference Tournament Final win over Thomas last season.
SEU tacked on another quickly in the 13
th minute, as graduate forward
Banabas Ganidekam rocketed in graduate forward
Jake Van Der Luit's shot that rattled off the post. The score was Ganidekam's third of the season.
The Fire put their third and final goal of the first half past UVI in the 20
th minute after a beautiful sequence. Freshman midfielder
Johan Jimenez played a marvelous long ball over the top to Barker, whose cross to the left side of the box set up junior forward
Skylar Funk with an empty net for Funk to tap it in.
Things got much more physical in the second half, as center official Esteban Rosano put eight cards in the book in the second 45 minutes of action, six yellow and two red.
The Fire stood tall through the tense atmosphere and continued to score goals.
Junior forward
AJ Davis netted his first goal of the season in the 52
nd minute to put SEU ahead 4-0.
Senior defender
Nick Niama capped off the scoring in the 82
nd minute with his first goal of the season.
The Fire resume Sun Conference play next Wednesday against Warner in Lake Wales at 7:00 p.m.
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