FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – In her final regular season match at the NSU Soccer Complex,
Jemma House set the tone early, as the Sharks raced past Eckerd by a final score of 2-0 on Senior Night. The lone senior on the roster ignited Nova Southeastern with her sixth goal of the season less than 10 minutes into the match before
Emma Heikkila provided some breathing room in the second half to secure the Sharks' fourth win in a row.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
Score: Nova Southeastern 2, Eckerd 0
Records: Nova Southeastern (11-5-1, 6-2-1 SSC), Eckerd (6-6-1, 3-6 SSC)
Location: NSU Soccer Complex | Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
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HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Following a set piece in the 10th minute for Eckerd, the Sharks countered when House raced nearly three-fourths of the field past the Triton defense before converting the one-on-one opportunity with the keeper.
- Nicole Staley nearly doubled the lead just before half, but had her clean look stopped by Eckerd keeper Casey Winn, who finished with nine saves in the effort.
- Nova Southeastern would eventually double the margin, though, less than seven minutes into the second half. With possession and space in the middle of attacking third, Heikkila beat Winn from roughly 25 yards out for her team-leading ninth goal of the season.
- The two-goal advantage proved to be plenty for the Sharks, too, as the Tritons managed just one shot on frame the rest of the way.
STATS OF THE NIGHT:
- Freshman keeper Natalie Robayna collected five saves in what resulted in her third shutout of the season.
- Nova Southeastern racked up 12 shots on goal, while surrendering just 13 overall to the Tritons.
- Liz Haizlip recorded a season-high three shots, including two on target, in 22 minutes off the bench.
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE:
- With two more points on Saturday, Heikkila has now tallied at least one point in five consecutive matches.
- Following the victory, Nova Southeastern now improves to 14-5-5 all-time versus Eckerd.
- Since losing to Tampa in their SSC opener on Sept. 15, the Sharks have compiled a record of 8-1-1.
UP NEXT:
Nova Southeastern will wrap up the regular season on the road next Tuesday at 6 p.m. against Lynn. A win over the Fighting Knights will clinch the No. 2 seed for the Sharks in next week's SSC Tournament and ensure a bye during the quarterfinal round. For complete coverage of the action, visit the
schedule page on NSUSharks.com or follow the Sharks on Twitter @NSU_WSoccer.
