LAKELAND, Fla. — The No. 17 Southeastern Fire battled No. 8 Truett McConnell to a 1-1 draw Monday afternoon at the SEU Soccer Field.
The Fire controlled much of the match offensively, finishing with 23 shots compared to 12 for the Bears. SEU also held a 12-2 advantage in corner kicks while putting five shots on target.
After a scoreless opening half, SEU broke through in the 62nd minute. Following a pair of blocked shots and a corner kick, Rebecca Laface found the back of the net at 61:41 to give the Fire a 1-0 lead.
Southeastern Fire continued to pressure the Bears after taking the lead. Momo Sato led SEU with six shots, including four on target, while Sara Irurozki and Gianna Green each recorded four shots.
The Bears, however, found an equalizer late in the match. With just 2:25 remaining, Isabella Hodson converted a penalty kick to tie the match at 1-1.
The Fire nearly regained the lead in the final minutes, recording three shots after the equalizer, but the Bears' defense held firm as the match ended in a 1-1 draw.
In goal, Madison Songer made five saves in the full 90 minutes, helping SEU secure the draw against the No. 8-ranked Bears.
With the result, Southeastern Fire moves to 2-1-1 on the season, while Truett McConnell moves to 1-1-1. SEU will look to carry the momentum from the hard-fought draw into their next match.
