Box Score SAINT LEO, Fla. – The Nova Southeastern University women's soccer team's history-making 2016 season came to an end in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, as they fell 1-0 to the West Florida Argos in the South Region tournament held at Saint Leo's University Field.
 
This game was a déjà vu of sorts for Sharks coaches, John Constable and Andres Pedraza, and returners Sydney Franko, Bailey Corbin and Jordan Lentz, as they also saw their breakout 2015 season end in the first round of the NCAA South Regional, by a 1-0 score to the Argos. Much like last time, the Sharks (12-4-3) fell prey to one successful first-half shot over Friday's 90 minutes, when West Florida's Sara Helgadottir came through in the 35^th minute for the Argonauts (17-4), assisted by Kaljiy Atwal on a strike from about 30 yards out that found its way past the Sharks keeper, Ida Norstrom. The Argos held on to that small advantage over the remainder of the first half and all of the second, as they maintained their tight defense, allowing only five shots to the Sharks on the day, two in the first half and three after intermission. Only one of those five shots was on target, coming off of the leg of Nichole Poppe, but it was stopped by UWF keeper Katelyn Burkhart.
 
Norstrom had seven saves against 17 Argonaut shots, while Jordan Lentz came in for the last 5:10 to make one save. For Poppe, Franko and Gabriela Alfaro, this game marked the end of their Sharks careers. Poppe and Alfaro both started, playing 77 and 69 minutes, respectively, while Franko recorded a shot off the bench. Meanwhile, Jessica Bonenclark, Sini Laaksonen, Jessica O'Connor and Emma Santamaki, all freshmen, each played the entirety of the game.
 
The Sharks defense, led by Norstrom in goal, set a program record this season by allowing just 0.78 goals per game, or 15 goals in 19 games. The record was previously set by a 2007 team that allowed 14 goals in 17 games, or 0.82 per.
 
The Sharks and the coaching staff of John Constable and Andres Pedraza will now look towards their third season together beginning in the fall of 2017, returning most of this year's team, including Sunshine State Conference Freshman of the Year Hannah Christophe and All-SSC First Team selections Norstrom and Emma Santamaki and All-SSC Second Team selection Sini Laaksonen.