Box Score Two first-half goals by Southeastern proved to be too much for the Lady Bruins to overcome as they fell 3-1 in Lakeland, Florida on Saturday afternoon. This was the 3rd straight match in as many days as the team began the 2015 season on the road.
"We really hung tough and managed to stay in the game," Coach Chris Carmichael said. "Being that we just came off two games and were playing a top NAIA opponent with several of our key players out, I am happy with our effort."
The Bruins opened the season on Thursday evening with a 4-2 loss to Warner University. They followed it up with an 8-0 thrashing of Johnson University of Florida on Friday afternoon before taking the pitch against Southeastern under the hot and humid Florida sky on Saturday.
In the opening minutes, both teams looked to establish pace of the game with each trading possession. The Fire had several runs throughout the opening minutes, but Bruins' goalkeeper Kristen Haertlein stood strong and made several key saves. In the 9th minute of play, the Fire got on the scoreboard as Samantha Pifer received a through ball over the top and beat Haertlein to finish the play and make the score 1-0.
The Bruins came charging back, but the Fire were able to keep the Bruins from getting good looks as the team was able to only manufacture one shot on goal throughout the first half. In the 23rd minute, the Fire struck again off the feet Bre Eldridge as she broke free of the defense down the right wing and fired a hard low shot into the bottom of the net to increase the lead 2-0. Despite their efforts, the Bruins went into the break down two and looking for answers.
In the second half, Coach Carmichael made several tactical adjustments which helped the team overcome some of their fatigue to generate offensive production. The team was able to put together several runs of good combination play, but the Fire continued to keep the Bruins off the scoreboard. With the game nearing its end, the Bruins yielded another goal as Sydni Brookhouser received the centering pass and buried it on the right side of the net to increase the lead to 3-0.
The Bruins refused to quit as the team continued to push hard towards the Southeastern net. In the 87th minute, the Bruins would get a golden opportunity as the Fire were called for a foul in the box. Miriam Lozano finished the PK with a well-placed shot to give the Bruins their first goal of the game 3-1. The team tried to mount one last charge, but it was too late as the Fire held on for a 3-1 win.
"I am very proud of the effort to finish the game strong and notch a goal," Coach Carmichael said. "We need some time to recover and get the players healthy and ready for our next match. Our defense is clicking and we have turned the corner. Our challenging schedule will continue to make us better as we work towards competing well in our conference matches."
Kristen Haertlein had 12 saves throughout the match for BJU while Miriam Lozano scored her 2nd goal of the season for the team. With the loss, the Bruins finish up their road trip at 1-2. The team will have some time to rest and recover before welcoming Point University to Greenville next Saturday night for the Lady Bruins home opener at 7 p.m.
