BOCA RATON, Fla. – For the second straight year, Nova Southeastern watched its season come to a screeching halt in the Sunshine State Conference Tournament semifinal round. The Sharks were limited to just seven total shots this time around, and surrendered the game's lone goal midway through the first half, as top-seeded Lynn survived a hard-fought battle by a final score of 1-0 Thursday night.

INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
Score: Lynn 1, Nova Southeastern 0
Records: Lynn (13-1-1), Nova Southeastern (9-6-3)
Location: Bobby Campbell Stadium | Boca Raton, Fla.
Get Social: Twitter - @NSU_MSoccer | Instagram - @nsu_msoccer | Facebook - /nsusoccer

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Chances were limited on Thursday, but the Sharks nearly shocked the Fighting Knights just 3:55 into the match when Matty Cornish's strike to the low, left corner forced a diving save by Lynn keeper Konstantin Fuhry.
• The two teams alternated shot attempts until, in the 25^th minute, Lynn's Lukas Borner put the Fighting Knights on the scoreboard. With the ball bouncing in the box, the midfielder cleaned up the mess with a rocket into the back of the net for only his second goal of the season.
• Cornish threatened once again for the Sharks, this time in the 30^th minute, after slipping behind the Lynn defense. However, the right-footed try would sail high and out of play.
• Neither side would record a shot the rest of the half, as Lynn entered the break in front 1-0.
• After forcing the pressure on the Lynn backline in the 54^th minute, NSU wanted a handball called on a clearance, but was unable to draw the whistle from the referee.
• Titouan Le Roux's kick save in the 64^th minute kept the Sharks within striking distance.
• Just moments later, NSU had a chance to equalize on a free kick from the edge of the box. Yet, Cornish's bending attempt around the Lynn wall drifted too far wide of the net.
• Cornish would get one more crack at it in the 83^rd minute, only to see his volley attempt again miss wide before the Fighting Knights were able to salt the clock away in the final moments.

BEYOND THE BOXSCORE:

• The Sharks have now won nine-plus games in back-to-back seasons after previously failing to do so once this decade.
• The league's top scoring team in the regular season, NSU was held without a goal in 200 combined minutes versus Lynn in 2019.
• Thursday marked the final match for Quentin Aguilar, Jan Luca Ahillen, Le Roux, Justen Macias, Curtis Thorn and Nathanael "Squeaky" Washington in a Sharks uniform.
• Lynn will now advance to face Palm Beach Atlantic in Sunday's SSC Tournament final.

STATS OF THE NIGHT:

• The Sharks were outshot by the Fighting Knights by a final margin of 9-7.
• NSU's two shots on goal matched a season low.
• Cornish accounted for a team-high four of NSU's seven shot attempts.
• Both sides registered five corner kicks apiece in the game.
• Le Roux finished the night with two saves, both coming in the second half.

UP NEXT:
Head coach Matt Watts' club wraps up the season with a final record of 9-6-3. To stay up-to-date with the Sharks throughout the offseason, follow them on Twitter @NSU_MSoccer.