FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The Nova Southeastern University men’s soccer team is currently in the middle of its first losing streak of the season. The Sharks (4-3-2, 0-3-0 SSC) will look to rebound tomorrow night when they visit Tampa to face the Spartans (6-4-0, 1-2-0 SSC) at 7 pm.

The Sharks are facing adversity midway through the season and need a defining win to bounce back on track and avoid falling to an 0-4 record in the Sunshine State Conference. Last week against Florida Tech, the Sharks gave up their lead with four minutes remaining in regulation and eventually lost in overtime. This past Saturday, the Sharks lost to Rollins after giving up two goals in the final 10 minutes of the game.

A win against Tampa would give NSU a much needed conference win, putting them back in the hunt for a spot in the SSC Tournament. 

"Results havent gone our way recently but the SSC is a complex league and one win can change everything," said senior captain Craig Heenighan (Widnes, England). "Tomorrow's game is crucial."

The Spartans have put themselves in a hole as well. After advancing to the NCAA quarterfinals in 2009, Tampa started the year off 1-2 against out-of-conference teams and has recently dropped two straight SSC matches by a single goal.

The Sharks will need a strong performance from goalkeeper Lyle Howe (So., Coral Springs, Fla.) who, despite allowing six goals over two matches, holds an .800 save percentage. NSU will also look to depend on the resurgence of Heenighan, who has returned to his All-Region play by scoring or assisting in three of the Sharks’ past four matches. Aly Hassan (Sr., Weston, Fla.), who leads NSU with four goals, will look to snap a five-game scoring drought.

All-time, the Sharks are 4-8-0 against the Tampa Spartans dating back to NSU’s 2-1 overtime loss to Tampa in 1995. However, the Sharks have had positive results at Pepin Stadium, claiming two wins and a tie all-time at Tampa. NSU’s last victory over Tampa came in 2007, when the Sharks took a 4-1 victory thanks to goals from both Heenighan and Hassan.

Fans not able to make the trip up to Tampa can follow the Sharks via live audio and stats by clicking HERE