Box Score SAVANNAH, Ga. – The Fire stepped up when it counted. After a slow start, Southeastern University rebounded in the second half and two overtimes and claimed The Sun Conference Tournament Championship over SCAD-Savannah tonight, 5-4 in penalty kicks.
After two scoreless overtime periods, Kory Nekoloff and Victor Cavalcante made the first two penalty kicks for SEU. Goalie Henrique Cavalini saved the third round SCAD attempt, before Nico Munari and Murilo Ramos made theirs to set up Liam Fisch hitting the game-winner for the 5-4 tally and conference title.
Fisch, the grad student midfielder, played the biggest game of his season. With the team's first two goals at 45:46 and 82:34, it was fitting he would be the one to get the game-winning opportunity, which he did not miss.
Head coach Clay Roberts led the Fire (10-3-4) in upsets against the top two seeds in the Sun Conference Tournament. Top seed Keiser fell on Monday afternoon, and the number two-seeded Bees fell tonight, with both games on the road for the Fire. Roberts added his third conference tournament championship during his tenure. The team won the tournament in 2015 and 2018.
"We never really strayed far from the game plan, we just weren't executing well [in the first half]," Roberts noted on the winning effort. "I'm proud of the guys for sticking with it."
SEU found itself down by two goals late in the second half. Fisch connected on his second Fire goal in 37 minutes off a Colton Eliasen pass at 82:34. Following a Bees yellow card, Victor Cavalcante made good on his ensuing penalty kick with 2:02 left in regulation for a 3-3 tie. Cavalini saved an important SCAD shot on goal in each of the two extra periods to keep the game deadlocked.
The Bees took the early lead with the match's goal at 9:05. SCAD doubled its lead to 2-0 midway through the first 45 minutes at 21:17.
For his first goal of the second half, Fisch did not take long as he put the Fire on the scoreboard 46 seconds into the stanza. SCAD answered back and retook the two-goal advantage, 3-1, at 51:33, to set up the dramatic finish in the final eight minutes of regulation.
Cavalini finished with 11 big saves as the SEU last line of defense in goal.
With the win, the Fire improve their record to 10-3-4 and grab The Sun Conference automatic bid to the NAIA National Tournament. They will find out on Saturday at 3 p.m. where they will be headed for the opening round.
