Author: truex

Sunahara, No.5 Sharks Stave Off Upset at Rollins

WINTER PARK, Fla. – Absent for the season’s first meeting with Rollins back on Dec. 14, No. 5 Nova Southeastern was certainly happy to have RJ Sunahara back in the lineup this time around, as the redshirt freshman helped the Sharks avenge their previous loss by beating the Tars 89-85 on Wednesday night. Sunahara finished the contest with a game-high 25 points on 12-of-15 shooting, while Mikkel Kolstad and Mark Matthews chipped in with 18 apiece to keep head coach Jim Crutchfield‘s club just a half game out of first in the Sunshine State Conference race.   

INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
Score: No. 5 Nova Southeastern 89, Rollins 85
Records: No. 5 Nova Southeastern (17-2, 11-2 SSC), Rollins (11-10, 5-8 SSC)
Location: Harold & Ted Alfond Sports Center | Winter Park, Fla.
Get Social: Twitter – @NSU_MBasketball | Instagram – @NSU_MBasketball

HOW IT HAPPENED:
1st Half | Neither side created much separation for the entire ball game, let alone in the first half. Rollins grabbed a slim 13-8 advantage with 14:32 to play until Eddie Puisis drilled his second three-point bucket to pull NSU back within two. A Sunahara dunk and a pair of Nick Smith free throws kept the Sharks down just one, yet the Tars would follow with a quick 6-0 spurt to open up their largest lead of the night at 26-19. A Kolstad trey eventually stopped the bleeding before NSU finally was able to get out and run a bit, ripping off six unanswered in a span of only 31 seconds to climb in front 31-30 at the 8:05 mark. After Rollins drew back even at 33-33, neither side led by more than two the rest of the half. Back-to-back lay-ups, though, by Sunahara in the final 1:35 would buck that trend, as the Sharks entered the locker room ahead 43-39.  

2nd Half | After closing the first half with the final four points, Sunahara collected the first four of the second half to stretch NSU’s cushion to 47-39. Just when the Sharks appeared to be gathering momentum, however, Rollins connected on five straight field to regain a 53-51 edge with 14:53 remaining. Still trailing by two moments later, NSU turned to Kolstad, who drained three triples in a matter of 1:39 to put the Sharks back on top 64-59. A Matthews midrange jumper and a Sunahara furthered the margin to 69-61, yet a highlight reel-alley-oop narrowed the gap to only three still with over four minutes to go. Every time the Sharks needed a bucket down the stretch, though, they found an answer. A tough scoop shot by Matthews kept the Sharks up 75-70 before timely three’s by Puisis and then Smith countered crucial makes by Rollins on the other end. The Tars would close to within two on a number of occasions in the final minute, but Kolstad and Matthews provided the senior leadership by going 8-of-8 at the line to prevent any chance of an upset.

UP NEXT:
NSU will attempt to extend its win streak to eight this Saturday when it travels to St. Petersburg, Fla. to take on Eckerd. The Sharks defeated the Tritons in the season’s first meeting by a final score of 100-82 back on Jan. 2. For complete coverage of the action, visit the schedule page on NSUSharks.com or follow the Sharks on Twitter @NSU_MBasketball.

 

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Shorthanded Sharks Battle Back, Falling Just Short in Overtime to Tars

WINTER PARK, Fla. – The Sharks responded from an early 13 point deficit late in the second quarter to take a five point lead, 60-55, with just 56 seconds to play in the fourth. However, the Tars found a way to knot it up before the end of regulation, then outlasted NSU in overtime to pull away with a, 69-65, victory Wednesday night at the Warden Arena. 

INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
FINAL: L, 65-69 (OT)
RECORDS: Nova Southeastern University Sharks (10-10, 6-7 SSC), Rollins College Tars (12-9, 5-8 SSC)
LOCATION: Harold & Ted Alfond Sports Center (Warden Arena) | Winter Park, Fla.
FOLLOW US: @NSUSHARKS on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube

HOW IT HAPPENED:

1ST QUARTER | NSU came out of the gate displaying some strong and stingy defensive play, holding the Tars to just 1-of-7 shooting to begin the game, resulting in an early, 9-2 score at the first media timeout. However, the Tars would regroup, mounting a 9-0 run of their own, taking their first lead at 11-9, with 1:22 to play. Both teams would trade a pair of successful trips to the line, before Rollins knocked down a late three-pointer with 50 seconds to play, pushing their lead to five, 16-11. With just 21 seconds to play, Hailey Conley drilled a jumper from beyond the arc, cutting the deficit to just two points after the first frame.

2ND QUARTER | A quick start to the second saw the Tars pull ahead by 13, after a layup forced an NSU timeout at the 5:15 mark. It would continue to be a game a runs, as the combination of Conley and Jordan Tully would score the next nine points for the Sharks, out-scoring the Tars 9-2 in the process. NSU managed to close the gap to just six, 28-34, thanks in large part to nearly a three minute scoring drought by the home team heading into the half.

3RD QUARTER | The Sharks put their stamp on the game in the third, bullying their way inside the paint and continuing to stand tall defensively. While the Sharks were just 2-of-13 from the field in the quarter, they found their way to the charity stripe 14 times, converting 11. NSU buckled down and held Rollins without a score for 4:51, and when a technical foul was issued to Rollins, Conley stepped up to drill both foul shots, as the Sharks regained their first lead since the first quarter, now up 41-40. Two more late free throws by Annie Santucci capped a 6-0 run for the Sharks, putting the road warriors ahead, 43-40, going into the fourth. 

4TH QUARTER | The Tars opened up the final 10 minutes of play with a quick three-pointer to tie the game back up, 43-43. Tully would step up in a big way for NSU, exploding for eight straight points, followed by an overhead pass by Janiffer Rodriguez to find an open Conley in the corner, who connected from downtown to give the Sharks a seven point lead, 54-47. With just four minutes on the clock, the Tars would score six unanswered, cutting the lead back to just one, 54-53. On the ensuing possession Conley would finish under the basket and Sarah Kelly would knock down two from the line to give NSU a 58-53 lead at the 1:35 mark. After Rollins would hit a big time three-pointer with 45 seconds to play, they got the ball back for one final possession, down two, and with just five seconds to play split a pair at the line. On the second missed free-throw, an offensive rebound was corralled and Rollins would hit one-of-two, tying it up, 60-60. NSU had two seconds on the clock after the inbound, and attempted a late desperation three, but it was unsuccessful.

OVERTIME | NSU opened up the scoring in the extra frame, converting on its first possession after Conley drained her fourth three-pointer of the match. Unfortunately, that would be the only field goal in the period for the Sharks as they had a chance to tie late with 40 seconds to play, and down 68-65, but failed to convert from downtown, ultimately getting outscored 9-5 in the extra frame. 

INSIDE THE STATS:

  • Tully scored a career-high 30 points (7-14 FG) in the defeat, scoring a remarkable 16 points from the stripe in 20 attempts.
  • The Canadian also pulled down seven rebounds, to go along with a team-high three blocks and two steals in 36 minutes of action.
  • Conley and Tully would combine for 50 of the teams 65 points, as the sharpshooter contributed 20 points of her own, hitting four three-pointers and collecting four rebounds.
  • Kelly matched Tully with seven rebounds, including three on the offensive glass, leading the team with six assists, scoring six points and recording three steals.
  • Makenna Drabick finished with a team-high nine rebounds, with two steals.
  • The Sharks shot just 16-of-55 (29 percent) from the field but were able to have a chance at victory thanks to a 28-of-38 effort from the line (74 percent). 
  • NSU had an off night from downtown, converting just 18.5 percent of their shots (5-27), their lowest shooting percentage output of the 2019-20 campaign.
  • Despite playing a small lineup due to injuries, NSU managed to out rebound the SSC leaders in rebounding margin, 44-42.
  • The Rollins bench showed up big, outscoring the Sharks reserves 37-9
  • Sharks led for 16:34 in this one (23:15 for RC), as the game was tied eight different times.

BEYOND THE BOXSCORE:

  • The Sharks set season-highs in free throws made (28) and attempted (38), while also recording their highest rebounding output at 44, grabbing 40 plus boards for the third time this season.
  • Tully also set career high marks in minutes (36), free throws made (16) and attempted (20). She is now averaging 24.5 points in her last six games, scoring over 27 in three of those contests.
  • NSU corralled 14 offensive rebounds, the highest this season.
  • With another four rejections in the contest, NSU now leads the SSC in average blocked shots per game at 3.50.

UP NEXT:
The Sharks will wrap up their two game road-stand in St. Petersburg, Fla., taking on the Tritons, Saturday afternoon at 2:00 p.m. Eckerd dropped NSU in overtime back on Jan. 2, 80-76, at the Rick Case Arena. 

SHARKS ON SOCIAL MEDIA:
Follow along with live updates on Twitter by following @NSU_WBasketball. Also, follow on Facebook at /nsuwbasketball and Instagram with the handle @NSU_WBasketball.
 

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No. 5 Sharks Tennis Battles No. 13 Flagler to 5-2 Season-Opening Victory

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Opening the 2020 campaign on a hard-fought high note, the No. 5 Nova Southeastern women’s tennis team gutted out a 5-2 victory over No. 13 Flagler on Tuesday afternoon at the NSU Tennis Complex at Rolling Hills. The clash between the Sharks and Saints nearly remained in question through to the final singles match, the overall match lasted over three-and-a-half hours before the Sharks prevailed.
  
Doubles

  • The Sharks claimed all three doubles matches, played to finality in the non-conference match, kicked off by sophomore Louisiana-Monroe transfer Karolina Snita and junior Diane Follin-Arbelet, who went 6-2 past Eden Schlagenhauf and Florencia Massardo Brain in the third flight.
  • The NCAA’s top tandem and Sharks’ No. 1 doubles pair of sophomore Natalie Espinal and senior Sarah Wardenburg earned a 6-3 win over No. 21 pair Alessandra Traub and Paloma Martinez to secure the doubles point.
  • No. 2 pair senior Daniela Obando and sophomore Troy-transfer Tingting Pei wrapped up doubles play with a 6-4 victory over Lixin Wang and Anika Nissen.

Singles

  • Despite the sweep through doubles, the fight was just beginning as the match went into singles. The opening set on court two lasted over an hour-and-a-half, as Snita rallied from a 5-1 deficit in the first set tiebreaker to win 7-6, missing on the second set 3-6 and then triumphing as the last Shark on the court in a 6-1 third set win that provided the fifth NSU point.
  • Initially placing the Sharks on the path to the overall win, Wardenburg made quick work of Massadaro Brain with a 6-1, 6-0 victory in the fifth flight.
  • Nationally ranked at No. 4, Espinal followed in first-flight singles with a 6-3, 6-1 win over Schlagenhauf.
  • With the match in the balance, sophomore Troy-transfer Celia Montero Estevan pushed back from a first-set loss to clinch the match in NSU’s favor with a 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 win over Alessandra Traub at No. 6.

Direct From Coach Doug Neagle

Up Next: Over the weekend, NSU will travel north to Valdosta, Ga., scheduled to for a neutral-site meeting with Georgia College on Saturday, Feb. 8 at the Valdosta State Tennis Complex. On Sunday, Feb. 9, the Sharks will then take on Valdosta State on their home court.

To stay up with all the latest with Sharks tennis., follow us on Twitter @NSU_WTennis, on Instagram @NSU_WTennis and on Facebook /NSUSharksWTennis.

 

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Constable, Sharks Officially Set Summer Camp Dates

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Head coach John Constable and the 2019 NCAA South Region Champion Nova Southeastern women’s soccer team have officially announced the dates for their Elite ID camps and Junior Sharks camps on the NSU campus later this summer.

Five separate Elite ID camps for girls ages 14-18 will be held, plus two Junior Sharks camps for girls ages 5-13.

For the older campers, there will be five available options to attend: ID Camp 1 (Sun., May 17), ID Camp 2 (Sun., June 7), ID Camp 3 (Sun., June 21), ID Camp 4 (Sun., July 12) and ID Camp 5 (Sun., July 26). All camps will take place at the NSU Soccer Complex, located on the Fort Lauderdale/Davie campus. Lunch and dinner will be provided at the Elite ID camps.

Meanwhile, Junior Sharks Camp 1 will be hosted Mon., June 8 – Fri., June 12, while Junior Sharks Camp 2 will be offered Mon., July 13 – Fri., July 17.

For more information and to sign up, check out the NSU women’s soccer camp website: www.nsuwomenssoccercamps.com. For further questions, please contact Coach Constable via email (jconstable@nova.edu) or phone (954-203-2472).
 
View below for all camp information.
 
Dates:
ID Camp 1 – May 17, 2020
ID Camp 2 – June 7, 2020
ID Camp 3 – June 21, 2020
ID Camp 4 – July 12, 2020
ID Camp 5 – July 26, 2020
 
Junior Camp 1 – June 8 – 12, 2020
Junior Camp 2 – July 13 – 17, 2020

Ages:
Elite ID camps – Girls ages 14-18
Junior Sharks camps – Girls ages 5-13
 
Cost:
Elite ID camps – $240 (Lunch and Dinner Included)
Sharks Junior camps – Full Day – $360, Half Day – $260 (Camp T-Shirt Included)
 
 

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No. 5 Tennis Kicks Off 2020 Campaign Tuesday Against No. 13 Flagler

FORT LAUDERDALE. Fla. – After a slight delay due to weekend weather, the No. 5 Nova Southeastern Sharks women’s tennis team will take the court on Tuesday (Feb. 4), kicking off the fourth season under head coach Doug Neagle against No. 13 Flagler at the NSU Tennis Complex at Rolling Hills.
 
The Sharks are returning all but one senior from a roster that produced one of the best seasons in program history, tying the 2007 squad for the most program wins with a 22-5 record. In addition, the 2019 Sharks earned their first Sunshine State Conference Championships runner-up finish, hosted an NCAA South Regional, earned a postseason victory and Neagle was named the program’s first SSC Coach of the Year. The team went 115-34 (.772) in singles play and 53-20 (.726) in doubles, garnering wins over nine nationally ranked opponents – facing off against definitively the toughest tennis conference in the nation.
 
Losing Ana Navas to graduation (11-3 singles, 11-3 doubles), the Sharks are led by super sophomore Natalie Espinal, who enters the season ranked No. 4 in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) NCAA Division II singles rankings). Espinal (Tegucigalpa, Honduras) went 20-5 in a phenomenal rookie campaign that saw her named ITA South Region Rookie of the Year, SSC Freshman of the Year, with All-SSC singles first team honors and All-SSC second-team doubles honors. Returning alongside her doubles partner, senior Sarah Wardenburg (Waikato, New Zealand) was All-SSC second-team doubles and finished 17-6 in singles and 19-4 in tandem with Espinal. The pair enter the 2020 campaign as the first NSU doubles to be ranked No. 1 in the nation after winning the ITA Cup’s NCAA DII Championship in Rome, Ga. this fall.
 
Entering her final season as a Shark, senior Daniela Obando (Tegucigalpa, Honduras) doubled with Navas last spring with first team All-SSC doubles and second team singles honors. Obando was 13-2 in singles and 13-4 in doubles overall and ranks No. 38 nationally in singles entering 2020. Junior Diane Follin-Arbelet (Lyon, France) went 19-6 in singles and 6-2 in doubles.
 
Some offseason player additions from the Division I ranks – specifically from the Sun Belt Conference – is expected to bolster the Sharks lineup in the new year. One such addition has already been proven, as Troy-transfer Celia Montero Estevan (Santiago de Compostela, Spain) went 3-1 in singles and 4-1 in doubles this fall to earn her place in the lineup. The sophomore came to Fort Lauderdale after going 17-13 in singles and 14-14 in doubles for the Trojans as a rookie. Teammate Tingting Pei (Kunming, China) was 9-7 in the top two doubles flights for Troy, also making a 14-17 singles record at No. 2 and is a sophomore for the Sharks. The final newcomer is Karolina Snita (Glogow, Poland) out of Louisiana Monroe. A junior for NSU, Snita was 17-5 in singles, 14-9 in doubles in 2017-18 to earn second team All-SBC in both sides for the Warhawks.
 
The Sharks lead off with the Flagler Saints for the second straight year, downing the FC crew 6-1 last February in St. Augustine to spark a 14-match win streak to open the season. The Saints were 17-7 last season, advancing to the NCAA Southeast Regional second round and closing out ranked No. 18 by the ITA. A young team in 2019, the Saints main replacement is for Felicitas Runkel, who went 13-10 in singles. They are led by Eden Schalegenhauf, who ranks No. 14 after a 15-7 singles, 15-9 doubles rookie campaign – she reached the singles final at the ITA Southeast Regional this fall and was the 2019 Peach Belt Freshman of the Year. Junior Anika Nissen ranks No. 28 and was 17-3 singles, 16-4 doubles to earn All-PBC second team honors in both. Sophomore Lixin Wang went 16-6 singles, 16-3 doubles as a rookie to team with Nissen for second team All-PBC honors and starts the year ranked 36th in singles. Paloma Martinez and Allesandra Traub are the 21st-ranked doubles pair after an 8-5 record together in 2019.
 
First serve between the Sharks and Saints is set for 12:00 p.m. on Tuesday at the NSU Tennis Complex at Rolling Hills. Over the weekend, NSU will travel to Valdosta, Ga. for meetings in back-to-back dates with Georgia College and Valdosta State.

To stay up with all the latest with Sharks tennis., follow us on Twitter @NSU_WTennis, on Instagram @NSU_WTennis and on Facebook /NSUSharksWTennis.

 

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No. 16 Sharks Fall Just Short Against St. Thomas

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – It all came down to the wire in Sunday’s local face-off with St. Thomas for the No. 16 Nova Southeastern baseball team at the NSU Baseball Complex. Battling back from an early deficit, the Sharks came up just shy of the mark in a one-run loss to the Bobcats, who squashed a promising NSU rally push with a well-timed double play to send the game final at 4-3 in STU’s favor.

INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
Final Score: St. Thomas – 4, Nova Southeastern – 3
Records:  St. Thomas (2-1), Nova Southeastern (1-2)
Location: NSU Baseball Complex, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Get Social: Twitter – @NSU_Baseball | Instagram – @NSU_Baseball | Facebook – /NSUSharksAthletics

HOW IT HAPPENED:
The afternoon tilt opened on a shutdown frame by starter Matt Ornelas, but the Bobcats capitalized on three walks in the second inning – the third coming for a Joey Thompson RBI. Gus Guerra followed with an RBI single and STU jumped out to a two-run advantage. In the third, STU forced Ornelas out and picked up a Jack Khawly sacrifice fly.
 
Despite doling out a formidable top velocity at 96 mph, STU starter Merfy Andrew started missing his spots in the third and led off by hitting Nathan Chevalier and walking Andrew Labosky. A passed ball moved everyone over and Chevalier scored on a wild pitch. A subsequent Bryan Diaz walk provided the distraction to perfectly execute a delayed double steal, as Labosky came home easily to cut the deficit to a single run.
 
After the game settled down offensively, putting three straight frames of zeroes on the board, the Bobcats pushed their lead back out via a seventh-inning Daniel Mondejar RBI triple, despite the nearly-successful efforts of a diving Chevalier in center field.
 
The Sharks were quick to snatch the run back. Labosky coaxed out a one-out walk to set up Bryan Diaz for an RBI single, dropped just in front of the right fielder to draw the deficit back down to one run.
 
After Nik Sanders put the Bobcats down cleanly in the top half of the ninth, the Sharks offense kicked back into action, with Chevalier taking a walk and Labosky reaching on a single. However, the opportunity for Diaz to serve as hero in consecutive games eluded NSU, as Labosky’s break for second base put baseman Christian Alvarez in just the right position to scoop Diaz’ grounder in time for the tag and the game-ending double play.
 
For the Bobcats, first reliever Jason Grana (1-0) earned the win, while starter Ornelas (0-1) takes to loss for NSU on 2.1 innings with three runs and, three hits, three walks and three strikeouts.

STATS OF THE GAME:

  • With the loss, the Sharks finish opening weekend with a 1-2 record.
  • The hitting line was even in the tighly-contested matchup at six apiece.
  • At 12 free passes on the day, the Sharks drew the most walks since taking base on balls 14 times against Merrimack on March 13, 2017.
  • The first Shark out of the bullpen, Jarret Krzyzanowski made a stalwart relief appearance, going 3.2 innings with no runs on just one hit.
  • Diaz extends his hitting streak to nine games, including the final six games of the 2019 season.
  • For the fourth consecutive game, extending to last season’s NCAA South Regional final, Pastore collected a hit.
  • Labosky scored twice for the second time this season, he was 1-for-2 and tied his career high with three walks – previously April 26, 2019 vs. Saint Leo.
  • Freshmen Tyler Epstein and Olivier Mayrand both made their first career starts – recording no hits but earning two walks apiece.

DIRECT FROM COACH LAZ GUTIERREZ

UP NEXT
Nova Southeastern will return to action next Thursday, Feb. 6 with the start of a three-game series against No. 2 Colorado Mesa in the programs’ first meeting. The Mavericks finished the 2019 season as runner-up in Cary.

SOCIAL
To stay up with all the latest with Sharks baseball., follow us on Twitter @NSU_Baseball, on Instagram @NSU_Baseball and on Facebook /NSUBaseball.

 

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NSU Finishes Play At Gulf South Invitational

GULF SHORES, Ala. – The Nova Southeastern softball team split a pair of games on Sunday morning to wrap up play in the 2020 Gulf Shores Invitational. To start the day, the Sharks topped South Region member Delta State 6-2, before falling to the Rogers State Hillcats 9-1.
 
INSIDE THE MATCHUP (GAME ONE VS. DELTA STATE):
FINAL: Nova Southeastern Sharks 6 (W: E. Hess, 1-1), Delta State Lady Statesmen 2 (L: O. Burns, 0-2)
RECORDS: Nova Southeastern (2-1), Delta State (1-2)
LOCATION: Gulf Shores Sportsplex | Gulf Shores, Ala.
FOLLOW US: @NSUSHARKS and @NSU_Softball on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:
 
BOTTOM 3RD | After two scoreless innings, Juliana Speranza tallied NSU’s first run of the game with an RBI-single up the middle to score Tia Williams, who led off with a double to left.
 
BOTTOM 5TH | An error by the Lady Statesmen during Williams’ at bat allowed Sam Sisco to make it 2-0 in NSU’s favor before a double to center by Anina Fernandez brought Williams home to extend NSU’s lead to 3-0.
 
TOP 6TH | The Lady Statesmen cut the Sharks’ lead to just one run in the top of the sixth, scoring two on back-to-back RBI-singles.
 
BOTTOM 6TH | After a sacrifice bunt by Alexis Smith pushed Alex Suzuki to second, an RBI-single by Sydney Lageyre brought her home to make it a two-run game at 4-2. NSU added two more insurance runs thanks to an RBI-single up the middle by Mya Maddox and an RBI-triple by Williams, serving as the last two runs of the game for either team.
 
INSIDE THE STATS:
 

  • The Sharks outhit the Lady Statesmen 10-7.
  • Williams finished 3-for-4, scoring twice and tallying on RBI.
  • Lageyre went 2-for-3, recording one RBI and one run scored while Sisco was 2-for-4, scoring once.
  • Emily Hess (1-1) earned her first win as a Shark, pitching all 7.0 innings and allowing two runs on seven hits, striking out six including the game ending swinging strikeout.

 
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE:
 

  • With the win, it evens the overall series 4-4 between the Lady Statesmen and the Sharks.

 
 
INSIDE THE MATCHUP (GAME TWO VS. ROGERS STATE):
FINAL: Rogers State Hillcats 9 (W: A. Morales, 2-0), Nova Southeastern 1 (L: S. Foster, 1-1)
RECORDS: Nova Southeastern (2-2), Rogers State (2-1)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:
 
TOP 1ST | With runners on first and third for the Sharks, Maddox stole second and Sisco came home, as the umpire ruled that there was interference at the plate, making it 1-0 in NSU’s favor.
 
BOTTOM 1ST | With two outs and the bases loaded, the Hillcats’ Tailee Reding doubled to center field, scoring all three baserunners for a 3-1 Rogers State lead.
 
BOTTOM 2ND | Rogers State tacked on another run in the bottom of the second with another RBI-triple, making it 4-1 in the Hillcats’ favor.
 
BOTTOM 3RD | The Hillcats continued to add to their lead in the third, scoring two on an RBI-single and a wild pitch to bring the score to 6-1.
 
BOTTOM 4TH | Tallying another two run in the fourth off an RBI-double and RBI-single, Rogers State pushed their lead to 8-1.
 
BOTTOM 6TH | With the bases loaded, a walk drawn by Reding led to an early end of the game, as the Hillcats ended up on top 9-1.
 
INSIDE THE STATS:
 

  • Sisco led the Sharks offensively, finishing 2-for-3 with one run scored.
  • Smith tallied NSU’s third hit, as the Hillcats outhit the Sharks 9-3.
  • Savannah Foster pitched all 5.2 innings, allowing nine runs (8 ER) on nine hits.  

 
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE:
 

  • This was the first time the Sharks and the Hillcats have faced off in program history.
     

UP NEXT
 
The Sharks will host their home opener on Friday, Feb. 7 against Georgian Court. First pitch of the doubleheader is scheduled for 5:00 p.m.
 
SHARKS ON SOCIAL MEDIA:
 
Follow along with live updates on Twitter by following @NSU_Softball.
 

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No. 16 Sharks Walk Off Tusculum for Gutierrez’s First Win as Head Coach

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Rebounding from 15 runs allowed in a season-opening loss to No. 7 North Greenville, the No. 16 Nova Southeastern baseball team came from behind to defeat the Tusculum Pioneers in thrilling fashion, 5-4, on Saturday evening. A ninth-inning rally culminated with right fielder Bryan Diaz’s walk-off single off the glove of the right fielder, scoring freshman Tyler Epstein for the first victory under head coach Laz Gutierrez.

INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
Final Score: Nova Southeastern – 5, Tusculum 4
Records:  Nova Southeastern (1-1), Tusculum (0-1)
Location: NSU Baseball Complex, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Get Social: Twitter – @NSU_Baseball | Instagram – @NSU_Baseball | Facebook – /NSUSharksAthletics

HOW IT HAPPENED:
Much like the previous game, the Sharks faced a deficit from the jump. This time, the Pioneers started with a leadoff single by Daulton Martin, who was driven in by a double to right field, despite what appeared to be a great relay throw to the plate. Jaden Steagall came through for TU with a two-out RBI single to put a second run on the board.
 
After both teams went down in order for the next inning-and-a-half, the Pioneers added to their lead with another two-out RBI base hit from Steagall. The Sharks started their comeback in the bottom half, though, when Brandon Chinea reached on an infield single to third and advanced to second base when the throw reached the fence behind first base. Another error allowed Alex Hernandez to get on base, and Nathan Chevalier scored Chinea with a double off the right field wall. Back-to-back walks by Tyler Epstein and Duncan Pastore brought Hernandez in, but after a pitching change with the bases loaded and nobody out, Tusculum reliever Mitch McCain got out of the jam with a pair of strikeouts and a groundout to hold the 3-2 lead.
 
Stephen Schissler was the first reliever out of the pen for the Sharks in the fifth inning, and Martin greeted him with a single and stolen base, then scored on a Brandon Trammell double for the second time. However, the Sharks got a clutch line-drive double play to escape further damage.
 
After being unable to score Epstein following a one-out triple, the Sharks nearly missed on a golden scoring chance with a pair of singles to start off the next inning, but a delayed double steal worked to perfection, scoring Adan Fernandez, and Hernandez drove in Bryan Diaz with a single to left-center to tie the game at 4-all.
 
Five scoreless half-innings ensued heading into the bottom of the ninth. Epstein led off with a single to right field, and Pastore drove one deep to center, but Epstein slipped rounding second, resulting in a baserunning miscue and the two players converging on third – Pastore was tagged trying to retreat back to second. Andrew Labosky was intentionally walked, setting up the potential of a double play opportunity with Fernandez at the dish, but Labosky stole second on a great dirtball read, and Fernandez reached when Tusculum returned the favor of the Sharks’ previous blunder by losing a high pop up in the lights. With all the ducks on the pond, Bryan Diaz battled to a 2-2 count, fouling off a few pitches, before finally finishing it off with the walk-off on the high-arching oufield shot.

For the Sharks, Jacob Bove (1-0) earned the win after a solid 1.2-inning relief debut, allowing no runs and no hits, while striking out one. Facing five batters on .1 innings of action, Carter Linton (0-1) takes the loss for Tusculum.

STATS OF THE NIGHT:

  • The Sharks improve to 7-1 in the all-time season series.
  • Four players led the Sharks with two hits apiece: Epstein, Pastore, Fernandez and Diaz.
  • Pastore has begun the season with his second straight multi-hit performance, recording a double in each game, the first time in his career with doubles in back-to-back games.
  • Fernandez opens his NSU career with a pair of multi-hit games, as well.
  • In just his second collegiate appearance, Tyler Epstein came off the bench in the third inning with two big hits, including a triple, and the game-winning run.
  • Nathan Campbell struck out six batters in four innings of work, striking out the side in the second inning. He tied the second-best strikeout total of his career and the most since his complete game two-hitter against Florida Tech on March 16, 2019.
  • Sacramento City College transfers Lucas Reid and Bove combined for five strikeouts in 3.2 hitless innings to lock down the bullpen at the end of the game. retired all five batters he faced after entering into an eighth-inning jam with a runner on second and one out.

 
UP NEXT
The Sharks will wrap up their opening weekend with a matchup against local former conference foe St. Thomas, the No. 2 nationally-ranked team in the NAIA polls. The Bobcats began their season with a 9-3 win over crosstown rival Florida Memorial, before a Friday night 5-3 loss at Lynn. Their Saturday afternoon meeting with Palm Beach Atlantic was cancelled due to the same weather problems that delayed the Sharks and Pioneers.
 

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Sharks Fall at Home to Saint Leo

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The Nova Southeastern battled back from a tough first-half deficit to visiting Saint Leo on Saturday at Rick Case Arena, but solid second half defense and smart play in the second half wasn’t enough to push the Sharks past the Lions in the 82-72 loss. 
 
INSIDE THE MATCHUP: 
FINAL: L, 82–72
RECORDS: Nova Southeastern Sharks (10-9, 6-6 SSC), Saint Leo Lions (10-11, 6-7 SSC) 
LOCATION: Rick Case Arena | Fort Lauderdale, Fla. 
FOLLOW US: @NSUSHARKS on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube 
 
HOW IT HAPPENED: 
 
1ST QUARTER | The opening minutes of the game saw the teams trading scores, but back-to-back possessions with blocks from Alani Gallagher and Alex Button granted SLU the opportunity to create some separation near the end of the first quarter.Jordan Tully cut the lead to just seven with 21 seconds remaining, but the Lions were able to set their play and snuch in an Amanda Ulrich layup with three ticks to go for the 19-10 lead at the first break. 

 
2ND QUARTER | Hailey Conley sunk a free throw to open the second quarter’s scoring, but the Lions put down the next nine points without response, growing the lead out to 17 points just under three minutes into the period. The Sharks offense kicked back in, but the lead alternated away and back to 17 throughout. Back-to-back NSU scores trimmed the deficit to 12 near the midpoint, with a three from Esabelle Levine and a Layup for Conley. Coming down the stretch into half, Iva Ilic delivered three consecutive scores for the Sharks across the final 3:45 to keep the Lions from extending their advantage. SLU’s 42-29 halftime advantage aided by 75-percent shooting and 11 points coming off NSU turnovers. 

 
3RD QUARTER | Opening the third, Ilic picked up where she left off, dropping in two layups with an and-one to slice the deficit down to just eight points at 8:18 in the second half. However, the Lions answered three scores and a trio of free throws over the next three minutes, only interrupted by a Levine three – growing the lead out to 15. Again, the Sharks came charging back with the help of two more scores from Levine, running the SLU lead down to just seven. The final two scores of the period went to SLU for a 59-49 difference. 
 
4TH QUARTER | A sluggish offensive start to the final period saw the margin stay at 10 points through the midpoint of the quarter – helped by NSU forcing Ulrich into three turnovers in five minutes. In the final three minutes, it was almost all Tully, as the Sharks took over at the free throw line – Tully shooting 5-for-6 on free throws with two layups. However, with four free throws and a trio of field goals, SLU kept NSU at a double-digit distance, with Tully’s final layup bringing the game to its final margin at 82-72.  The Sharks slowed the SLU offense in the second half at just 51.9 percent, also capitalizing on five steals to score 13 points off turnovers. 

 
STATS OF THE NIGHT: 

  • Tully just missed a sixth consecutive 20-point game, ending the night with 18 points on 5-for-10 from the field and 8-of-11 from the line. 
  • Tully also grabbed seven rebounds to lead the team, collecting two blocks and two steals. 
  • Tying for the team lead, Ilic shot 7-for-13 with three three-pointers for her fourth game of at least 15 on the season. 
  • Levine made a career-high four three-pointers to put up double-digit scoring for the second time this season – hitting 5-for-12 and 4-for-9 from long range. 
  • Conley logged her 12th-consecutive double-figure scoring performance with 10 points, bolstered by a 5-for-6 performance at the line – setting a new career high for free throws. 
  • The Sharks shot 42.9 percent from the field, while Saint Leo went for 58.5 percent. 
  • The Lions won the rebound battle, topping the Sharks 33-25.  
  • Despite some struggles in the first half, the Sharks ended up with 12 total turnovers, while pushing the Lions into 16, recording eight steals. 
  • The Lions did half their work in the paint, putting up 40 points to the Sharks’ 32 in the paint. NSU scored 30 of their points on layups. 

UP NEXT: 
The Sharks are back to work and on the road next week. Heading to Winter Park to face Rollins on Wednesday night. NSU will be away from the confines of Rick Case Arena for a full week, coming back to the Shark Tank on the 12th when they host Eckerd. 
 
SHARKS ON SOCIAL MEDIA: 
Follow along with live updates on Twitter by following @NSU_WBasketball. 

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Sharks Open 2020 With Saturday Split, Topping No. 4 West Florida

GULF SHORES, Ala. – After battling weather on Friday afternoon that cancelled two games, the Nova Southeastern softball team opened up the 2020 season with a Saturday split, falling to the Lee Flames, 2-1, before routing the No. 4 West Florida Argonauts, 8-1.
 
INSIDE THE MATCHUP (GAME ONE VS. LEE):
FINAL: Lee Flames (W: L. Vasquez, 1-0), Nova Southeastern Sharks 1 (L: E. Hess, 0-1)
RECORDS: Nova Southeastern (0-1), Lee Flames (1-0)
LOCATION: Gulf Shores Sportsplex | Gulf Shores, Ala.
FOLLOW US: @NSUSHARKS and @NSU_Softball on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:
 
TOP 1ST | Leading off, Kayla Louie stole second and advanced to third on a ground out before a single by Taylor De Adder brought her home for a 1-0 Lee lead.
 
TOP 5TH | Madison Besaw started the inning off with a double down the right field line and after back-to-back ground outs, scored on a Louie single to left, pushing the Flames ahead, 2-0.
 
BOTTOM 7TH | After forcing Lee to leave a runner at third in the top of the inning, NSU hinted at a comeback as pinch runner Hayley Hendricks was brought home on an RBI-single by Alexis Smith, cutting Lee’s lead in half, 2-1. That would be as close as the Sharks would get as Alex Suzuki, who doubled to right field, was caught at home and back-to-back ground outs ended the inning.
 
 
INSIDE THE STATS:
 

  • Both teams tallied six hits apiece.
  • Allie Janowiak led the Sharks, finishing 2-for-3.
  • Sam Sisco, Juliana Speranza, Smith and Suzuki tallied the remaining four hits.
  • Emily Hess took the loss, tossing all 7.0 innings and allowing two runs on six hits while delivering five strikeouts.

 
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE:
 

  • With the loss, the Flames hold the overall series edge 2-0.

 
 
INSIDE THE MATCHUP (GAME TWO VS. NO. 4 WEST FLORIDA):
FINAL: Nova Southeastern Sharks 8 (W: S. Foster, 1-0), Palm Beach Atlantic Sailfish 1 (L: G. Gilbert, 0-1)
RECORDS: Nova Southeastern (1-1), No. 4 West Florida (1-1)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:
 
BOTTOM 5TH | After four innings of scoreless play, the No. 4 Argonauts tallied their lone run of the game on a fielder’s choice drawn by Mika Garcia.
 
TOP 6TH | With Sisco and Sydney Lageyre on the corners, back-to-back throwing errors by UWF allowed the Sharks to take the lead, 2-1. Next, an RBI-single by Mya Maddox brought home Sisco to make it 3-1 and after Tia Williams singled to third and stole second, another RBI-single by Speranza brought home Maddox for a 3-1 NSU lead. The next batter, Anina Fernandez, pushed it to 4-1 in favor of the Sharks after reaching on a fielder’s choice, allowing just enough time for Williams to score.
 
TOP 7TH | With Smith on third and Lageyre on second, Sisco sent an RBI-double down the left field line to score Smith, making it 5-1. After a UWF pitching change, a wild pitch scored Sisco to advance NSU’s lead to 6-1. An RBI-single by Williams brought home Sisco before Williams was plated by an RBI-double to left field by Janowiak, serving as the final tally for NSU, eventually becoming the final 8-1 score.
 
INSIDE THE STATS:
 

  • Lageyre finished a solid 2-for-3 with two runs scored while Maddox was also 2-for-3 with one RBI and scored once.
  • Williams went 2-for-4 with an RBI of her own and two scored runs.
  • Speranza and Janowiak each finished 1-for-4 with an RBI apiece and Smith went 1-for-3, scoring once.
  • Savannah Foster went the distance, allowing only one run on three hits with five strikeouts.

 
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE:
 

  • Tonight’s win signifies NSU’s first win over a Top-10 program since No. 10 Saint Leo on March 9, 2018.
  • This is also NSU’s first win over West Florida since Feb. 7, 2014.
     

UP NEXT
 
The Sharks will finish play in the 2020 Gulf Shores Invitational tomorrow, competing against Delta State at 9:00 a.m. (CST) and Rogers State at 11:30 a.m. (CST).
 
SHARKS ON SOCIAL MEDIA:
 
Follow along with live updates on Twitter by following @NSU_Softball.
 

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