Fire Men's Soccer Sets Schedule for 2023 Season

LAKELAND, Fla.- Southeastern men's soccer has released their 2023 schedule with a total of 17 regular season contests.
 
The season will be highlighted by three different NAIA Top 25 opponents including No. 5 Georgia Gwinnett, No. 7 St. Thomas University, and No. 9 Keiser University.
 
Last season, the Fire recorded an 11-4-4 overall record and 5-2-1 Sun Conference record including a 2-2 tie against eventual sixth-place national finisher, Bethel University and 1-1 tie of then-ranked No. 4 Bobcats. The Fire secured a trip to the SUN Tournament where they concluded the season in the semifinals. In the quarterfinal match, the Fire took down SCAD-Savannah by a score of 3-0 to advance to the semifinals to face the Bobcats. The season ended with a penalty-kick loss after regulation ended scoreless. The Bobcats then bested the Fire 5-4 in penalty kicks and went on to finish seventh in the NAIA.
 
Head coach Clay Roberts stated, "The 2023-24 season will be an exciting season. Notably opening up with USF and Rollins to really jumpstart our season. To be able to welcome Point Park, Thomas, and Georgia Gwinnett to Lakeland before the conference play gives us top competition as we embark on our journey to win the Sun Conference."
 
September will begin a four-game home stretch starting with Point Park University on the 1^st at 7 p.m.
 
Two days later, the Fire will kick off the newly formatted Sun Conference schedule against Thomas University at 1 p.m.
 
Roberts stated, "Our conference has changed the format to a home and home contest as compared to years past where there is only one countable matchup against the conference opponent. With the opportunity to play each other twice, the tactics are really going to come into play and I think that makes room for a lot of exciting games."
 
The Fire will then host the No. 5 ranked Grizzlies on September 9^th at 7 p.m. with another conference contest coming on the 13^th against Ave Maria at 7 p.m.
The home streak will then be snapped as the Fire travel to West Palm Beach, Fla. on September 16^th to take on No. 9 Keiser University at 11 a.m.
 
Another NAIA Top 25 and SUN opponent will host the Fire four days later as the Fire travels to Miami Gardens, Fla. to take on St. Thomas at 7 p.m. The Fire will then host the Bobcats on October 11^th at 7 p.m.
 
The Fire will then return home to face Warner University on September 23^rd at 7 p.m. before hitting the road back to Miami Gardens to battle Florida Memorial on the 27^th at 7 p.m.
 
Back-to-back home games for the Fire will begin with a midday contest against Webber International at 1 p.m. on the 30^th. October then begins with a 7 p.m. contest against SCAD-Savannah on the fourth.
 
The Fire will then trade off home and away contests for the remainder of the season.
 
On October 7^th, the Fire will travel to Ave Maria, Fla. to take on the Gyrenes for their second matchup of the season at 1 p.m.
 
After returning home for the second St. Thomas matchup, Southeastern will head to Warner University for a 7 p.m. contest.
 
October 18^th will see the Fire host the Seahawks for their second contest of the year at 7 p.m.
 
Webber International will then host the Fire on October 21^st for a 3:30 p.m. contest to move the Fire into their final two contests of the regular season.
 
The Lions and the Bees will round out the Fire's regular season on the 25^th and 28^th at 7 and 6 p.m.
 
"We have a lot of new faces joining us next season and feel the expectations can be set really high for this group. Fire Nation will not want to miss any home games this upcoming fall as we feel we have something very special brewing", stated Roberts.
 
Tickets for the home contests go on sale in August.