MARIAN, Fla.- The No. 6 Southeastern University women's soccer team bested the No. 11 Indiana Wesleyan University Wildcats 4-3 in an absolute battle between two nationally renowned NAIA women's soccer programs.
Overall, on the match, the Fire dominated the shot sheet, holding the advantage in shots 24-10 and doubling up the Wildcats in shots on goal 14-7.
IWU struck first in the fifth minute, as Mallory Krueger found the back of the net to pull ahead of SEU 1-0.
"The crowd had amazing energy that started during warmup, so I knew the environment was going to feel really big for the girls," shared SEU head coach
Caleb Roberts. "We talked about it before the game started. The girls trusted each other and the game plan. Things started quick, but as the girls calmed, the game began to slow down for them."
The Fire found the equalizer in the 23
rd minute when senior midfielder
Jennifer Luna headed a corner kick off the boot of senior midfielder
Shara Randez to knot things up 1-1.
SEU gritted out the go-ahead tally in the 39
th minute. Senior midfielder forward blasted a deflected shot from Randez into the goal to pull Southeastern ahead of Indiana Wesleyan 2-1.
The Fire took the 2-1 advantage over the Wildcats into the half.
The Wildcats came out of the locker room and won back the momentum, as Kristy Bowden scored in the 56
th minute to bring the match back to even 2-2.
Southeastern responded in a mighty way with a pair of late goals that proved to be the difference. First, Randez slotted a cross into the box from senior forward
Aisha Solorzano past the IWU goalkeeper in the 76
th minute to pull the Fire ahead 3-2. Randez ended up contributing to three of the four SEU goals on the night.
"Shara is a smooth player," commented Coach Roberts. "She enjoys the ball at her feet but what is so impressive is her joy for finding her teammates and the ability to raise the level of the squad."
SEU tacked on a necessary insurance goal in the 83
rd minute, when senior midfielder
Victoria Moran buried the deep cross from Solorzano top shelf to double the Fire advantage 4-2.
The Wildcats willed in a late goal, as Lauren Turner found pay dirt with 21 seconds remaining in regulation to make it a one-goal game. However, the Fire stood tall and closed out the final seconds defensively.
Southeastern remains in The Hoosier State for another NAIA Top-15 match. The Fire travel to Winona Lake to take on the No. 14 Grace College Lancers this upcoming Saturday night. Match time is set for 7:00 p.m.
