The USCB women's soccer team begins Sun Conference play Thursday with a key road contest at Southeastern (Fla.), marking the second consecutive season the teams have squared off in the conference opener. 

"Our second season starts now," USCB coach Ed Heberling said. "The team has worked hard this week to improve and prepare for conference play. I feel we will match up well with Southeastern, and it should be an exciting match."

It's a matchup of two of the most productive teams in the NAIA in terms of shots and shots on goal, as the Fire lead the nation in shots on goal per game (13.5) and rank second in shots per game (24.33) while the Sand Sharks are fifth in shots on goal per game (13.13) and 10th in shots per game (22.63). 

The difficulty for the Sand Sharks has been finishing those opportunities, as they've scored one or zero goals in four of their last five games. A dominant defense has helped USCB win two of those contests, including a 1-0 win at Columbia International on Saturday in which the Sand Sharks allowed just one shot and none on goal. 

The Fire have been one of the biggest surprises in the Sun Conference – if not the entire NAIA – winning their first six matches by a combined 22-1 score to earn votes in the most recent NAIA Women's Soccer Top 25 Coaches' Poll. Southeastern and USCB have played three common opponents with each earning victories against Columbia International, Montreal and Middle Georgia. 

Southeastern is led by Alyssa Kaminski, who leads the Sun Conference with nine goals and 18 points. Goalkeeper Sydni Brookhouser has been outstanding in goal, allowing just one goal on 21 shots on goal.  

"Southeastern is on a great run and has only given up one goal on the season," Heberling said. "We will need to be patient and work hard as a team to find success. Our upperclassmen need to step up and lead."  
 

FIN FACTS

• With two goals versus Middle Georgia, junior F Hayley Pina became USCB's career leader for points (40), surpassing Alexa Muffley. Pina also ranks second for goals (15) and assists (10) in USCB history. She trails Muffley by one goal and is one assist behind Jessica Tooley for the all-time lead in each category.

• USCB won its first two road games to start a season and is 3-1 away from home after winning at Columbia International on Saturday. The school record for road wins in a season is four set in 2012 and matched in 2013.

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

• Ten different players have scored goals and two more have registered assists for the Sand Sharks with Pina leading the team with seven points. Pina (3), freshman F Felicia Alpenmyr (2), and sophomore MF Brittney Neser are the only Sand Sharks with 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 three shutouts on the season, their most since recording five 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