FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Ignited by
Gaby Moreira's third goal of the season at the start of the second half, Nova Southeastern broke a scoreless tie and rolled to an eventual 4-0 victory over Johnson & Wales (Fla.) at home on Wednesday night. Moreira was one of four different players to score in the effort, joined by
Emma Heikkila,
Hannah Christophe and
Kristina Maribona, as the Sharks collected their third straight shutout to improve to a perfect 3-0 on the young season.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
Score: Nova Southeastern 4, Johnson & Wales (Fla.) 0
Records: Nova Southeastern (3-0), Johnson & Wales (Fla.) (3-1)
Location: NSU Soccer Complex | Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
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HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Despite a hefty 16 shots, the Sharks failed to convert in the opening 45 minutes of play. Dejah Holman nearly put Nova Southeastern on the board in the 10th minute, but had her touch drift just wide of the net. In the 21st minute, the Sharks pressured the Wildcats backline once again, only this time Heikkila's swinging volley attempt on a pass from Brittany Hoffman sailed high.
- Nova Southeastern knocked on the door step of another potential go-ahead goal in the closing seconds before intermission when Nicole Staley struck from the edge of the 18-yard box. However, the senior's right-footed strike was deflected by Wildcats keeper Denise Mendoza and cleared away.
- Following a frustrating first half, the fortunes soon turned in favor of the Sharks. Just 3:03 into the second half, Chama Silva bent a perfect corner kick into the box, where Moreira was able to find space and flick the ball into the back of the net to hand Nova Southeastern the 1-0 edge.
- Even just a 1-0 lead appeared plenty on a night when the Nova Southeastern defense limited the Wildcats to four shots, including only one by Savannah Jackson, who entered the match with 11 goals in just three games. Still, the offense continued its momentum after Christophe drew a foul in the box in the 62nd minute before giving way to Heikkila for an ensuing penalty kick conversion.
- Christophe would soon cash in herself, notching her Sunshine State Conference-leading seventh goal already this season after sneaking a shot just inside the left post on a feed from Emily O'Connell.
- With the win well in hand, Maribona added the exclamation point in the 86th minute. Taking a pass from Alexys Nowak, Maribona connected on a perfectly placed shot into the left upper 90 to secure the commanding 4-0 win.
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE:
- Through three matches this season, the Sharks have outscored their opponents by a combined 26-0 margin.
- Following Maribona's score late in Wednesday's match, Nova Southeastern now has six players with at least two goals on the year.
- In just her second game back from injury, Nowak now sits tied for the team lead with three assists.
STATS OF THE NIGHT:
- After taking over in the second half for Shannon Hearty, sophomore keeper Natalie Robayna picked up her first win of the season.
- A credit to the NSU defense, Johnson & Wales' four shots are the most allowed by the Sharks through three games.
UP NEXT:
With their six-game homestand rolling on, the Sharks will welcome Tusculum to the NSU Soccer Complex this Sunday at 12 p.m. ET. For online coverage of the action, visit the
schedule page on NSUSharks.com or follow the Sharks on Twitter @NSU_WSoccer.
