SAINT LEO, Fla. – Honoring the senior class in their final home game of the regular season, it was a junior that continued her impressive streak in the Sunshine State Conference as Pia Soesemann dropped her second hat-track in three games as the Lions defeated Nova Southeastern 4-0 in SSC action at University Field on Saturday night.
The Lions (9-6-1, 4-3-1 SSC) had momentum early as senior Chrissy Darwell, fresh off of senior day ceremonies, picked up a cross from Soesemann in the fifth minute and planted it in the net. Soesemann found the ball at the right-edge of the box as she caught it in stride from junior Jasmine Johnson. Soesemann controlled the ball with one touch and decisively slotted it to Darwell, who did the rest.
Soesmann started her scoring deluge in the 10th minute when Line Pederson managed to lob a ball over the NSU defense. Outracing her defender, Soesemann caught control of the ball before the onrushing ‘keeper could get it. She would loft the ball over the NSU ‘keeper’s head and into the net.
Another goal from Soesemann came in the 39th minute as her persistence paid off. Picking up a long pass from Darwell, the Berlin, Germany native would again out-race the NSU defense as she entered the corner of the box. Her blast toward goal would glance off of the goalkeeper’s hands but still slowly bounce toward the goal. Making it a no-doubter, the Lion forward would beat Chrissy Hy, the Nova Southeastern goalkeeper, in a footrace to the ball and she would head it the final few feet for the goal.
Registering the only tally of the second half, she would again strike true in the 55th minute when she found a Cassie Barbaresi corner-kick at her foot. Soesemann cleanly struck it just inside the left post to polish off the hat trick.
Setting a career-mark for goals in a game against Northwood, Soesemann again repeated the feat against Nova Southeastern (9-5-1, 5-2-1 SSC), just two games later.
On the other side of the ball, the Saint Leo defense seems to have found a rhythm as well, marking the fourth-straight clean sheet, and over 411 minutes of scoreless soccer.
Audrey Bernier-Larose posted another solid 90 minutes guarding the goal as she notched three saves in six NSU shots.
As a team, the Lions seem to be peaking at the right time, out-scoring opponents 21-1 over the last five contests, all wins. Soesemann has scored 11 of her 19 goals over that same span.
Wrapping up the regular season, the Lions turn their attention toward the Sunshine State Conference Championships, as the official release by the SSC office will come on Sunday.
