Box Score SAINT AUGUSTINE, Fla. – The Nova Southeastern University women's soccer team (1-0-0) opened up the 2014 season with a 3-1 win over the Palm Beach Atlantic Sailfish (0-1-0) in the Flagler Kick-Off Classic.
The match was lopsided on the stats sheet, but it took a consistent attack for the Sharks to get ahead of the Sailfish Friday. The first half was an aggressive period for NSU, but an early PBA goal kept the Sharks from gaining an advantage. The Sailfish put themselves on the board in the 29th minute, with a header in the box by Kasey Wyer. Just one minute later, NSU would equalize on a header from
Cydney Niedermeyer (So., Fort Myers, Fla.). NSU's first goal was set up on a cross from newcomer
Julia Nytorp (Jr., Själevad, Sweden), recording her first assist as a Shark.
Despite the halftime tie, the first half was controlled by the Sharks. NSU owned an 11-3 shot differential, with six different student-athletes recording shots on goal. NSU also had seven corner kicks to PBA's one. PBA's goal was its only shot on target, while Wylie was the team's lone attacker before the break.
The Sharks kept up their pace in the second half and eventually took their first lead.
Sierra Lelii (Jr., Seminole, Fla.) scored in the 64
th minute on a left footer into the far post. The Sharks' No. 10 scored on her seventh shot of the match and would finish with eight total shots.
Over the next five minutes, NSU kept the foot on the gas pedal and nearly scored twice, once on a direct strike from
Sydney Franko (So., Fort Pierce, Fla.) and another on a
Carley Montgomery (Fr., Sanford, Fla.) header that ricocheted off the cross bar.
The consistent attacked paid off, as the Sharks put themselves up by two with a goal in the 81
st minute. Lellii recorded an assist on a cross into the box to Sarah Keville (Jr., Vero Beach, Fla.), who tapped in her first goal of the season.
In the end, the Sharks recorded 24 shots to PBA's seven, with 14 on target. NSU also took a total of 10 corner kicks against the Sailfish.
The match was the first time the coaching staff viewed this group in a regular season setting, and they took advantage of it. NSU used a total of 19 student-athletes in the match, subbing players up until the 87
th minute despite holding a multiple goal lead.
The Sharks will move on to face the host team, Flagler, Sunday at 1 p.m.
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