The USCB women's soccer team enters uncharted territory Tuesday, when the Sand Sharks travel to West Palm Beach, Fla., to take on top-seeded and third-ranked Keiser in the semifinals of the Sun Conference Tournament. 

The Sand Sharks have won three straight, including a 1-0 victory over SCAD Savannah on Saturday for the first postseason victory in program history. Fifth-seeded USCB limited the No. 5 seed Bees to five shots – three on goal – continuing a trend of strong defensive performances. Freshman goalkeeper Moa Johansson was named the Sun Conference Defensive Player of the Week on Monday after notching her fifth shutout of the season and lowering her goals against average to 1.43.

USCB turned in a solid defensive effort in a 3-0 loss at Keiser on Oct. 17, limiting the Seahawks to 15 shots – their fourth-lowest total of the season. Keiser scored only one goal in the run of play in that match, with one coming off a corner kick and another on a penalty. 

The Sand Sharks have allowed just one goal during their three game winning streak and have seen seven different players score goals over that stretch. Junior midfielder Karen Pimentel scored the lone goal against SCAD, converting a penalty after Brooke Newman was taken down inside the penalty area.

The winner of Tuesday's match advances to face either No. 2 seed Southeastern or No. 6 seed St. Thomas in the championship match Friday with the highest remaining seed hosting. The Sun Conference Tournament champion will earn an automatic berth in the NAIA Women's Soccer National Championship Opening Round.

FIN FACTS

• Junior F Hayley Pina scored the game-winner in overtime against Webber International, adding to her single-season program records for goals (11) and points (26). Pina also is USCB's career leader for points (59), goals (23) and assists (13). 

• USCB won its first two road games to start the season and is 6-3-1 away from home after winning at SCAD Savannah on Saturday, breaking the school record of four road wins in a season set in 2012 and matched in 2013.

• The Sand Sharks have outshot the opposition in 16 of their 19 games this season and have held a double-digit edge in 11 of those matches. USCB has allowed five or fewer shots on goal 11 times and has permitted five or fewer total shots seven times.

• Fifteen different players have scored goals and three more have registered assists for the Sand Sharks. Pina (11), senior F Taylor Superior (5), junior MF Karen Pimentel (3), senior MF Sam Satterlee (3), freshman F Felicia Alpenmyr (3), freshman F Anna Gignilliat (3), sophomore MF Brittney Neser (2), and senior F Cameron Croney-Clark (2) each have scored multiple goals. 

• USCB opened the season with back-to-back shutouts – the first consecutive clean sheets since the Sand Sharks recorded consecutive 1-0 wins over St. Andrews and Southeastern in October 2013. The Sand Sharks have six shutouts on the season, breaking the program record of five set in 2012 and tied in 2013.

RELATED LINKS

USCB Schedule and Results

USCB 2016 Statistics

Sun Conference Women's Soccer Standings

USCB Sand Sharks on Facebook

USCB Athletics on Twitter