LAKE WALES, Fla.- The same day they earned their highest national ranking in program history, the No. 9 Southeastern University men's soccer team defeated the Warner University Royals 2-1 in The Sun Conference Game of the Week. With the win, the Fire improved to 10-0-1 on the season, including 4-0 in TSC play.
After out-shooting the Royals 7-1 through the first 40 minutes of play, SEU broke the deadlock. Senior forward
Julian Hall received a short pass off a set piece from 30 yards out and hammered the ball past the Royals' keeper to put the Fire ahead 1-0 in the 44
th minute.
"We had a little bit of pressure from the wall," shared Hall. "It was supposed to be a set piece but I had to improvise so I put the laces on it."
SEU took its 1-0 advantage over WU into the half.
The Fire took a 2-0 advantage early in the second half after graduate forward
Jake Van Der Luit scored his Sun Conference-leading 13
th goal of the season in the 53
rd minute. Van Der Luit received the through ball from Hall and advanced 25 yards down the pitch and got past the keeper for the tap-in.
Warner made it a one-goal game in the 66
th minute, as Daniel Rodriguez found the back of the net.
Senior goalkeeper
Logan Whitney made a key save with two minutes remaining in the match to preserve the 2-1 lead.
"Credit to Warner, they are a good team and going to make a run at The Sun Conference Tournament," commented SEU head coach
Clay Roberts. "I'm very proud of our guys for coming on the road and earning another conference win."
The Fire head to North Miami this weekend to take on the Johnson & Wales University Wildcats. Match time is set for 2:00 p.m.
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