Florida Southern's Historic Season Ends at NCAA South Region Semifinals

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - The fourth-seeded Florida Southern College women's soccer team was defeated 3-0 by the first-seeded Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in the NCAA South Region Semifinals at ERAU Soccer Stadium Sunday afternoon.
 
Just the fourth appearance at the NCAA tournament in school history, the Mocs finish the season with a 13-2-4 record. Florida Southern advanced to the regional semifinals after the program's first NCAA postseason win against Mississippi College in double overtime Friday night.
 
The Eagles controlled the first half in possession and continued the momentum into the second half where they scored three goals in seven minutes. The Mocs found an offensive presence in the second half with six shots, including four on goal, but not enough for the Eagles' first goal in the 72^nd minute that started the Embry-Riddle scoring. Late attempts went unanswered as the Eagles advanced with a 3-0 win over the Mocs. The Eagles advance to play West Florida for the South Region Championship next week.
 
Embry-Riddle started the first half strong as they recorded two shots in the first five minutes, including a particularly sneaky chip shot up and over a Florida Southern defender. Keeper Jenny Staten remained alert though and was able to get her hands on the ball before Embry-Riddle could capitalize.
 
The Mocs immediately struck back with a breakaway from Tatum Albrecht but were unable to score as Albrecht's shot went wide left. The Mocs were offered another chance after a free kick sent the ball into the box and was maneuvered to Madison Male whose shot was deflected.
 
The Mocs' defensive core of Jordan King, Brooke Lowery, Madison Male, and Morgan Collica was able to keep the Eagle's offense at bay in the first half despite their many opportunities. In the 15th minute, one of Embry-Riddle's shots went wide right and led to a corner kick. The kick was well positioned, but Staten was able to punch the ball out and keep the score 0-0.
 
In the 25th minute, a foul and yellow card from Angelina Coelho gave the Eagles yet another opportunity in the shape of a free kick from 25 yards out, but it went long, and the Eagles missed their chance.
 
While the Mocs stayed busy playing their lights-out defense in the first half, they were not without scoring opportunities themselves. The duo of Coelho and Caitlyn Lowery led to a shot in the 24th minute that was stopped by the Eagles' keeper. There were a few more opportunities for both teams down the back stretch of the first 45 minutes of play, but neither team could capitalize.
 
The first half was defined by the Eagle's all-gas offense as they outshot the Mocs eight-to-three with three shots on goal to Florida Southern's one. Between a strong Florida Southern back line and heads-up play from Staten, the Mocs and Eagles were knotted at 0-0 going into the second half of regulation play.
 
The second half was full of back-and-forth soccer as both teams had opportunities to score, but nothing came of them. The first significant offensive play came as the Mocs mounted a rally in the 65th minute when a corner kick missed, but a race to a long goal kick allowed Staten an opportunity to boot the ball back into play. The Mocs worked for another corner kick that was crossed to Collica but missed just barely too high.
 
The first goal of the match came in the 72nd minute as Embry Riddle's Ria Vlachos, who had been subbed in not a minute earlier, was assisted by Sofia Munthe Nilsson. The Eagles did not take their foot off the gas as they scored once again in the 77th minute. As the Eagles bore down on Staten, a Florida Southern player attempted to clear the ball from the box, but it ricocheted off a member of the Eagle's offense and just slipped by Staten. Embry-Riddle's nationally ranked offense would make it 3-0 in the 79th minute and that would be the end of the Moccasin's historic season.
 
Florida Southern heads back to Lakeland NCAA tournament participants and is proud of one of the best season performances in school history. The Mocs earned the program's first NCAA postseason victory, first SSC Regular Season Championship, and most wins since 2008 when the team went 14-4-2. The eight conference wins this season are the most in program history and they finished with nine shutouts on the year, breaking another season record.
 
As a team, the Mocs scored 45 goals this season, third-most in school history, averaging 2.37 goals a game (second-best in school history). Allowing only 15 goals this season, Florida Southern set a new school record in fewest goals allowed, and the 0.79 GAA sets a new best. The team flourished as a whole, but a few individuals set new career marks as well.
 
Star goalie Staten set a new school record with a 0.90 GAA season mark, beating the previous record of 0.97 set in 2004 by Kim Fish. C. Lowery's 26 points are the most since 2007 and she scored the most goals (10) since the 2010 season. Picked last in the SSC Preseason Coaches' Poll, FSC had three SSC Player of the Week awards, the most in a single season since 2017. Despite the exit in the regional semifinals, this season will go down as the most successful season in school history, and the best for head coach Paul Lawrence.
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