FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The Nova Southeastern University women's soccer team gained their first Sunshine State Conference victory of the season, and their first win over Tampa in five years, using a stout defense to turn away the No. 20 Spartans on Saturday night, 1-0.
 
A Sierra Lelii (R-Sr., Seminole, Fla.) goal was all the Sharks (4-2-0, 1-1-0 SSC) needed, coming in the 34th minute. Freshman Emily Stearns (Orlando, Fla.) won a loose ball, directed a gorgeous cross from the right side of the box to Lelii, who headed it into the back of the net for her league-leading ninth goal of the season and a 1-0 lead.

From there on out, almost all of the offensive opportunities came from Tampa (3-1-1, 0-1-0 SSC), and every single one of them was turned away by the NSU back line and goalkeeper. Starting defenders Cydney Niedermeyer (Jr., Fort Myers, Fla.), Cameron Wylie (Sr., Dallas, Texas), Stephanie Moench (Sr., Austin, Texas) and Lauren Paul (Sr., Stockton, Calif.) formed a nearly impenetrable wall, and keeper Amanda Kopale (R-Jr., Cape Coral, Fla.) backed them up every time a ball went through to the tune of 11 saves in the shutout victory.
 
The Sharks were outshot 18-6, and 7-1 after the break (five of those saved by Kopale), with Tampa placing 11 total shots on goal. Lelii had four of NSU's six shots, with Sarah Keville (Sr., Vero Beach, Fla.) coming up with the other two, including a header early that was nearly true.
 
The win Saturday marked the first against the Spartans since Oct. 8, 2010, as Tampa had gone 6-0-1 in the time in between. The Sharks are right back at it again on Sunday hosting Johnson & Wales for a 7 p.m. start at the NSU Soccer Complex.