Men's Soccer Prepped to Battle Bobcats in SUN Semifinal

LAKELAND, Fla.- Following a thrilling advancement in The Sun Conference Tournament Quarterfinals over SCAD, the Southeastern University men's soccer turns focus to a major task in the semifinal round. The fourth-seeded Fire travel to Miami Gardens this evening to take on the top-seeded and No. 5 nationally ranked St. Thomas University Bobcats for a place in The SUN Final.
 
MATCH:

#4 Southeastern (9-4-5) at #1 St. Thomas (11-0-2)
 
COVERAGE:
 
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FIRE FOCUS:

• With the tie against SCAD in the SUN Quarterfinal, the Fire set a new single-season program record for ties at five.
• Senior Fire goalkeeper Carlos Curado made a crucial penalty kick save in the shootout, opening the door for the Fire advance to the SUN Semifinals which was clinched with a successful pk from Colin Horn that earned the 5-4 shootout win.
• Curado is averaging 4.7 saves per game over Southeastern's last three contests.
• SEU now makes its fourth-straight appearance in the SUN semifinals and is looking to make the program's first appearance in the championship match since 2018, where the Fire defeated Thomas 1-0 to secure the title.
• In just his fifth game played this season, graduate striker Samuele Nardini scored the 1-1 equalizer for the Fire against the Bees this past Saturday. Nardini has found the back of the net in three of the five games he has played in this season.

FIRE ALL-TIME:

• Southeastern trails the all-time series to St. Thomas 9-1.
• The last time the Fire defeated the Bobcats was on September 28, 2019, a 2-0 victory in Lakeland.
• STU defeated SEU 4-2 in the regular season matchup earlier this season on October 9 at the SEU Soccer Complex. Julian Hall netted both goals for the Fire.

THE BOBCATS:

• The undefeated Bobcats entered the conference tournament with a first-round bye, earning the top-seed after capturing The Sun Conference Regular Season Championship with a 2-0 win over Keiser on October 30.
• The SUN regular season title was the first for St. Thomas since 2017.
• STU enters the postseason having shut out three of its last four opponents.
• The Bobcats' feature the 2021 Sun Conference Player of the Year in senior forward Fernando Arzeno, who has netted eight goals and recorded two assists this season.
• St. Thomas junior forward Mark Oghogho has had the hot touch as of late, having scored five goals and recorded an assists over his last four games played.