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FORT MYERS, Fla. – Redshirt junior forward Allie Fekany knocked in a header to propel North Florida Women’s Soccer past Eastern Kentucky, 1-0, on Thursday afternoon at Pickering Field to advance to the ASUN Championship Semifinals.
With the win, UNF moves to 8-8-4 overall. EKU was also the highest ASUN school in the latest RPI rankings at No. 54.
Avery was stout defensively between the frame for the Ospreys securing her fourth clean sheet of the season with seven saves – five of which came in the first half – in 90 minutes in goal. Avery has registered five or more saves in four matches this season.
North Florida threatened early with five shots on goal during the initial 12 minutes of play.
Leading the way for UNF in the first half, redshirt junior forward/midfielder Isabella Pontieri tacked on seven shots and five shots on goal, and senior midfielder Chloe Lynch fired off three shots on goal. In total, the Ospreys tacked on 12 shots and nine shots on goal during the first half of action but were unable to find the back of the net as the score remained tied 0-0 at the break.
North Florida opened the second half with back-to-back shots on goal from freshman defender Skya Horth during the 46th minute and sophomore midfielder Taylor Tamares during the 47th minute.
During the 85th minute of action, Fekany scored the game-winning goal knocking in a header off an assist from sophomore forward Allison Souers. The goal was Fekany’s sixth of the season and 14th of her career.
Pontieri would end the match with 11 goals and five shots on goal which marked her second-straight match with 10 or more shots and tenth match of the season with at least five shots. Lynch and Tamares both matched their career-high in shots.
In total, 19 Ospreys saw action, with midfielder Zoe Looker, senior defender Brialyn Anderson, sophomore midfielder Sarah Frazer and Avery each playing the full time.
North Florida will face the winner of Florida Gulf Coast and Bellarmine in the ASUN Championship Semifinals on Sunday, Nov. 2 at 1 p.m.
