Three Sharks Earn CSC All-Academic Honors

The 2022 Academic All-District Soccer Teams, selected by College Sports Communicators, recognizing the nation’s top student-athletes for their performances on the field and in the classroom have been announced. Academic All-District Soccer honorees advance to the CSC Academic All-America ballot. First-, second-, and third-team Academic All-America honorees will be announced in early December.  

Three Nova Southeastern Women’s Soccer players, Annie Bjork, Saga Bjorling, and Louise Matsgard were selected to the teams.  

Bjork, a Human Resource Management major who has maintained a 3.88 grade-point-average, also earned All-Sunshine State Conference Second-Team honors this season. The senior helped anchor the backline for Nova Southeastern and helped lead the Sharks back into the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2019.  

Bjorling, majoring in Management with a pristine 4.00 GPA, recorded over 1100 minutes of action as a midfielder for the Sharks and helped Nova Southeastern return to the NCAA Tournament.  

Matsgard, a Management major, who holds a 3.50 GPA, picked up both her second career All-Sunshine State Conference and All-South Region honors during the 2022 campaign, adds yet another award from the season. Matsgard started every game for the Sharks this season, logging over 1300 minutes. The sophomore helped make a formidable backline for NSU and also added seven points, one goal and five assists, on the year.  

Nova Southeastern Women’s Soccer, under the direction of second year Head Coach James Moore, advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. NSU finished the 2022 season with a record of 9-3-4, going 6-1-3 in Sunshine State Conference play and 6-1 in home matches.  

To stay up-to-date on Sharks Women’s Soccer, be sure to follow on Instagram and Twitter at NSU_WSoccer.  

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Grabias, Rosa, and Matsgard Earn D2CCA All-South Region Honors

JACKSON, Tenn. – Nova Southeastern continues to add to its postseason accolades as three Sharks were selected as members of the Division II Conference Commissioners Association (D2CCA) Women’s Soccer All-South Region teams. Luana Grabias earned a spot on the first team, and both Stefane Rosa and Louise Matsgard received nods for the second team.

Voting was conducted by the region’s sports information directors.

SSC Player of the Year, Offensive Player of the Year, and an All-SSC first team selection, Grabias adds another honor to her already decorated collection. She was the first Shark since Sierra Lelii (2015) to win Player and Offensive Player of the Year in the same season. The Brazilian has proven that her offensive attack is nothing to play with, finishing the season with 11 goals, 27 points, five game-winners, and providing her team with five assists. Grabias had two games where she scored two or more goals, including a hat-trick against SSC opponent Saint Leo, the only hat-trick for NSU this season. Her 18 points, eight goals, and four game-winning goals against conference opponents led the league. The junior continued her impressive offensive play , scoring the lone goal for the Sharks in the NCAA Tournament against West Florida.

Rosa, the leader of the Sharks defense captures another post-season honor, following her selection on the All-SSC first team.The CE Vicente Jannuzzi native appeared in 16 games and started in all of them, she accumulated a combined 1440 minutes, which ties her for first on the team in total minutes.The junior’s stellar defensive play was vital to the success of the Sharks defense this season. Rosa earned six shutouts, and 89 saves, including an 11-save outing against Florida Tech, Rosa had 11 games where saved five or more shots. In the opening match of the NCAA Tournament for the Sharks, Rosa saved five of West Florida’s shots on goal.

Adding to her All-SSC second team selection, Matsgard tabbed a spot on the All-South Region second-team. She started every game for NSU and logged 1310 minutes, ranking her second on the team in total minutes. The Swede was stellar on the defensive side of the ball and helped lead NSU to six shutouts on the season. Offensively the sophomore finished the season with seven total points, one goal, and five assists, with one of those assists helping seal the game for the Sharks against Flagler.

Blair Cowan of West Florida collected the award as South Region Player of the Year.

NSU concluded its season in the second round of the NCAA Tournament with a final record of 9-3-4. To stay up-to-date with the Sharks, follow them on Instagram and Twitter at @NSU_WSoccer.

For a complete list of the D2CCA All-South Region teams, click here (PDF).
 

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Sharks Season Ends in NCAA Tournament Second Round

PENSACOLA, FLA. – After battling for 90 minutes, the Sharks’ season comes to a close in the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament, the furthest NSU has advanced since 2019. Nova Southeastern falls to West Florida 2-1.

INSIDE THE MATCH
SCORE: Nova Southeastern 1, West Florida 2
RECORDS: Nova Southeastern (7-6-4, 5-3-2), West Florida (17-3-1)
LOCATION: Pensacola, Fla. | UWF Soccer Complex
GET SOCIAL: Instagram – NSU_WSoccer | Twitter – nsu_wsoccer | Facebook – /nsusoccer

HOW IT HAPPENED

  • Luana Grabias saw an opportunity to get the Sharks on the board early in the match, but her shot was saved by the Argonauts’ goalkeeper.
  • In the 10th minute, the Argonauts were able to sneak one by Stefane Rosa to take a 1-0 lead.
  • Halfway through the first half, the Argonauts fired two more shots at Stefane Rosa, but Rosa was able to stop both of them.
  • In the 23rd minute, the Argonauts got another one past Rosa, extending their lead to 2-0 over the Sharks.
  • In the closing minutes of the first half, Kiki Maribona and Sofia Suarez both had scoring opportunities, but were denied by the Argonauts’ goalkeeper.
  • After getting a beautiful pass from Dejah Holman, Grabias was able to laser one into the back of the net, bringing the Sharks within one in the 58th minute.
  • Grabias had two more scoring chances but was unable to get another one by the UWF keeper.
  • After battling till the end, the Sharks fell to the Argonauts 2-1.

The 2022 Sharks Women’s Soccer team, led by second-year Head Coach James Moore, advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the first-time since 2019. NSU offense spearheaded led by Sunshine State Conference Player of the Year and Offensive Player of the Year Luana Grabias. Nova Southeastern Women’s Soccer thanks you for your support throughout the 2022 season.

To stay up-to-date on the Women’s Soccer off-season, be sure to follow on Instagram and Twitter at NSU_WSoccer.
 

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Sharks Looking to Make Run in 2022 NCAA Tournament

FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA.- The Sharks return to the NCAA Tournament. NSU looks to make a deep postseason push after being selected in Monday night’s NCAA selection show. Making this the 6th time in the last seven years (excluding the COVID year) that NSU has been represented in the NCAA Tournament.

The Sharks who are led by head coach James Moore earned the No. 2 seed in the South Region, which is made up of members from the SSC and Gulf South Conference. 

NSU will await the winner of No.3 seed West Florida and No.6 seed Lee. The winner of that match will face Nova this Saturday at 2:00 pm, in Pensacola, Fla. 

The Sharks look to pick up where they left off at the end of the regular season. Winning five out of their last seven regular season matches, cementing themselves as the number two seed in the league. Nova Southeastern’s strong offensive attack led by SSC Player of the Year Luana Grabias will look to put pressure on opposing defenses. 

Both Embry-Riddle and Florida Southern were the other two SSC programs to qualify for the NCAA Tournament, as the Eagles collected the No. 1 seed and the Mocs were the No.4. seed in the 6-team super regional. The winner between Florida Southern and Mississippi College will go on to face Embry-Riddle in the upper half of the Sharks bracket. 

To stay up-to-date with NSU’s postseason run, visit the schedule page on NSUSharks.com, or follow the Sharks on Instagram and Twitter at @NSU_WSoccer.

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NSU Falls Against Embry-Riddle in SSC Semifinal

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Despite the strong offensive attack by the Sharks, they were unable to find the back of the net in the closing minutes of the match. Nova Southeastern falls in this SSC semifinal against Embry-Riddle 2-1. 

INSIDE THE MATCH
SCORE: Nova Southeastern 1, Embry-Riddle 2
RECORDS: Nova Southeastern (9-2-4, 6-1-3), Embry Riddle (12-0-5, 5-0-5)
LOCATION: Fort Lauderdale, FLA. I NSU Soccer Complex
GET SOCIAL: Instagram – NSU_WSoccer I Twitter – nsu_wsoccer I Facebook – /nsusoccer

HOW IT HAPPENED 

  • The Sharks came out aggressive on offense, putting pressure on the Eagle’s defense.
  • Dani Correa had a header that was on target but was knocked away by the Eagle’s goalie. Shortly after the SSC Player of the Year, Luana Grabias, came down and fired a dart that barely missed the goal.
  • Defensively the Sharks were lockdown in the first half, not giving Embry-Riddle any room to operate, and limiting their shot attempts on goal. 
  • At the beginning of the second half, Embry-Riddle broke the tie, scoring the 1st goal of the game.
  • In the 67th minute, Sofia Suarez gave the Sharks life, evening the score with an impressive goal, thanks to a great setup by Grabias. 
  • Embry-Riddle answered with a goal of their own to reclaim their lead. 
  • Grabias had another great look at the goal, taking her defender one-on-one but her shot was off-target.
  • NSU continued to attack the Embry-Riddle defense but couldn’t convert, dropping this one to the Eagles 2-1.

UPCOMING 
The Nova Southeastern Sharks now await the NCAA Tournament selection show on November 7th at 7:00 pm.

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Second-Seeded Sharks Ready for Postseason Play

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The Nova Southeastern women’s soccer team (9-1-4, 6-1-3 SSC) looks to continue its impressive season with a Semifinal matchup in the Sunshine State Conference Tournament against No. 3 seed Embry-Riddle (11-0-5, 5-5 SSC).

The Sharks have had an incredible season, improving mightily under second-year coach James Moore. NSU was electric in 2022, scoring two goals per game on average, the second-best rate in the SSC. While having a great offense, the Sharks possessed one of the stingiest defenses in the conference, allowing less than a goal per game (0.64).

Nova Southeastern is coming into the tournament after a hot stretch in October that saw the team win or draw its last eight matches, outscoring opponents 29-3. With seven consecutive positive results against SSC opponents (4-0-3), the Sharks are getting hot at the right time.

The Sharks are led by a pair of All-SSC First Team players in junior forward Luana Grabias and junior goalkeeper Stefane Rosa. The new arrivals have been two of the best players in the conference, making the Sharks one of the most complete teams in the SSC.

Grabias was named the Sunshine State Conference Player of the Year and Offensive Player of the Year, and made an instant impact in the scoring department, netting a team-best 10 goals, including five game-winners and four assists. Rosa was dominant, leading the SSC in saves (78), save percentage (89.7%) and clean sheets (6). In 2022, the Brazil native earned three SSC Defensive Player of the Week honors during the season.

NSU also had two All-SSC Second Team selections, with senior defender Annie Bjork and sophomore defender Louise Matsgard earning recognition.

The Sharks will take on No. 3 seed Embry-Riddle at the NSU Soccer Complex at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 3. A tough matchup awaits the prolific Sharks, as Embry-Riddle boasts the least goals conceded per game in the SSC (0.56). NSU traveled to Daytona Beach, Fla. to meet with Eagles in early October, and the two teams fought hard in a 0-0 draw.

Of the 14 matches the Sharks have played in 2022, the Eagles are one of two teams to hold NSU scoreless. With that being said, the first meeting was on the road, and the Semifinal will be at the NSU Soccer Complex. A home matchup is the best-case scenario for Nova Southeastern, as the Sharks were a perfect 6-0 at home in 2022.

The winner of this matchup will take on the winner of No. 1 Florida Southern and No. 4 Florida Tech on Sunday, Nov. 6. The time is to be determined.

For complete coverage of Monday’s action, visit the schedule page on NSUSharks.com, or follow the Sharks on Instagram and Twitter at @NSU_WSoccer.

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Emma Heikkilä 40th Anniversary

In honor of the 40th anniversary of Nova Southeastern athletics we asked Emma Heikkilä how being a student-athlete here impacted her.

“My experience of being an NSU student-athlete had a profound impact on me. It taught me important life skills: perseverance, integrity, and resilience. It showed me where the strive for success can take you and how you can achieve remarkable things together as a team, when everyone works hard for the common goal. NSU will always have a special place in my heart. ?=”

When asked what the key to her success was here at NSU she answered,

“The key to my success there was the heart and soul I invested in the program. It was the Coaches’, teammates’, Athletics Department’s, and Huizenga College of Business’ belief in me and the support from the entire NSU community which fueled me to become the best student-athlete I could be. Provided with the life-changing opportunity to study and play soccer on the other side of the world, I wanted to show my appreciation for it all through my results and performances. Once a Shark, always a Shark.”

As a senior Emma closed her career ranked among the Top-3 in program history in goals (34), game-winning goals (10), assists (17) and points (85)…D2CCA Second Team All-American…United Soccer Coaches Third Team All-American…CoSIDA Academic All-America Second Team…CoSIDA Academic All-District First Team member… Selected First Team All-South Region by both the D2CCA and United Soccer Coaches…First Team All-SSC (First player in program history to accomplish the feat in three consecutive seasons) and was Team captain. We are honored to highlight Emma in celebration of the 40th anniversary of athletics.

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Grabias Wins Player of the Year, Four Sharks selected to All-SSC Teams

MELBOURNE, Fla. – Luana Grabias headlines the Sunshine State Conference postseason awards, becoming the second Nova Southeastern Women’s Soccer player to win both the SSC Player of the Year and Offensive Player of the Year, while also earning a selection on the All-SSC first team. Stefane Rosa joined Grabias as a first-team selection, while Louise Matsgard, and Annie Bjork earned second team recognition.

Voting was conducted among the league’s coaches.

Grabias started in every game for the Sharks, The São José dos Pinhais, Brazil native, led the league with 18 points, 1.80 points per game, eight goals, and four game-winning goals against conference opponents this season. Overall, she found the back of the net 10 times, scoring five game-winners and providing her team with four assists. Grabias joins Sierra Lelii (2015) as the only Sharks named Player and Offensive Player of the Year. The junior also had two multi-goal games this season, including a hat-trick against conference opponent Saint Leo.

Rosa appeared and started in 14 games for the Sharks, accumulating a combined 1215 minutes, which ranking second on the team in total minutes. The junior was the force in net for the Sharks, helping lead NSU to six shutouts on the season. Rosa finished the season with an impressive 78 saves, with 11  saves coming in one game, against Florida Tech. The Brazilian had seven games where she saved seven or more shots.

Matsgard, an All-SSC 1st team selection in 2021, was another vital piece on the Sharks defense, starting every game for NSU. The junior tallied seven points, including five assists, with one of those assists helping seal the game for the Sharks against Flagler. 

After a formidable junior campaign the year prior, Bjork made considerable strides with the Sharks back on the pitch in 2022. The senior’s stellar defensive play was a key component of NSU’s six shutouts this season. The Swede had two points to credit and had one goal reach the back of the net this season.     

2022 Sunshine State Conference Women’s Soccer Awards
Player of the Year: Luana Grabias, Nova Southeastern
Offensive Player of the Year: Luana Grabias, Nova Southeastern
Defensive Player of the Year: Morgan Collica, Florida Southern
Freshman of the Year: Angelina Coelho, Florida Southern
Coach of the Year: Paul Lawrence, Florida Southern

2022 Women’s Soccer ALL-SSC First Team
Pos. Name School Yr. Hometown
F Luana Grabias Nova Southeastern Jr. São José dos Pinhais, Brazil
F Anniina Sankoh^#‡ Lynn Gr. Helsinki, Finland
F Caitlyn Lowery Florida Southern Gr. Punta Gorda, Florida
F (AL) Marie Myhrvold Seim^#§ Embry-Riddle Jr. Bergen, Norway
M Mayara Queiroz* Florida Tech Sr. Belo Horizonte, Brazil
M Lindsey Meyer Florida Southern Sr. Fort Thomas, Kentucky
M Isabelle Navren^ Embry-Riddle Jr. Stockholm, Sweden
D Hattie Kettle~ Embry-Riddle So. Bracknell, England
D Morgan Collica Florida Southern Gr. Aurora, Ohio
D JoJo Michaels^ Florida Tech Sr. Merritt Island, Florida
GK Stefane Rosa Nova Southeastern Jr. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
2022 Women’s Soccer ALL-SSC Second Team
Pos. Name School Yr. Hometown
F Katherine Hostage^† Tampa Gr. Southborough, Massachusetts
F Alex Collighan Saint Leo Sr. Portsmouth, England
F Marem Ndiongue* Florida Tech Jr. Catania, Italy
M Katja Orschmann Lynn Jr. Berlin, Germany
M Alexia Spencer Saint Leo Sr. Richmond, Virginia
M Nina Mueller Saint Leo Sr. Weikersheim, Germany
D Louise Matsgard^ Nova Southeastern So. Stockholm, Sweden
D Annie Bjork Nova Southeastern Sr. Malmo, Sweden
D Thea Nyberg Embry-Riddle Fr. Uppsala, Sweden
D Kajsa Ekstrom Florida Tech Fr. Umea, Sweden
GK Jenny Staten Florida Southern Sr. Kildeer, Illinois
GK Maria Sanchez Recuero^ Florida Tech Gr. Madrid, Spain

 –
^ = 2021 First Team All-SSC
* = 2021 Second Team All-SSC
† = 2021 Player of the Year
‡ = 2021 Offensive Player of the Year
~ = 2021 Freshman of the Year
# = 2019 First Team All-SSC
§ = 2019 Freshman of the Year
(AL) = At Large Selection

NSU starts postseason play at home on Thursday in the SSC semifinal against Embry-Riddle University at 7:00 P.M.

To stay up-to-date on Sharks Women’s Soccer, be sure to follow on instagram and twitter at NSU_WSoccer. 

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Sharks Victorious in Regular Season Finale

FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA- Luana Grabias and Dani Correa led the offensive attack for NSU. The Nova Southeastern Sharks take down Palm Beach Atlantic 3-0 in tonight’s SSC contest.

INSIDE THE MATCH
SCORE: Nova Southeastern 3, Palm Beach Atlantic 0
RECORDS: Nova Southeastern (9-1-4, 6-1-3), Palm Beach Atlantic (2-9-3, 1-6-2)
LOCATION: Fort Lauderdale, FLA. I NSU Soccer Complex
GET SOCIAL: Instagram – NSU_WSoccer I Twitter – nsu_wsoccer I Facebook – /nsusoccer

HOW IT HAPPENED

  • Luana Grabias started the game with a strong offensive attack, scoring a quick goal in the 15th minute for the Sharks. Grabias took her defender one-on-one and was able to showcase her crafty arsenal, firing a shot that drilled the back of the net.
  • As the first half progressed, NSU’s defense kept its foot on the gas pedal, making it impossible for Palm Beach Atlantic to get a clean look at the goal.
  • Stefane Rosa recorded four saves in the first half alone.
  • In the second half, the Sharks offense continued to put pressure on the Sailfish. Annie Bjork, Sofia Suarez, and Louise Matsgard, all had quality shots at the goal that were unsuccessful.
  • Shortly after Grabias was able to put another goal on the board, thanks to a beautiful setup by Johanna Barth, bringing her to 10 total goals on the year.
  • In the closing minutes of the game, Dani Correa continued her impressive play, scoring a goal in her third consecutive game. Correa crossed up her defender and was left one on one with the goalie, sneaking a shot right by her for her sixth goal of the season. Which ultimately sealed the 3-0 win for the Sharks. 

STAT OF THE MATCH
Stefane Rosa recorded her 6th shutout of the season.

UPCOMING
The Sharks will gear up for the SSC tournament, the tournament begins Monday, Oct. 31st.

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NSU Tie’s On Road At Eckerd

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – In a game where neither of the defenses was letting up, NSU ties with Eckerd on the road, 1-1. Dani Correa managed to score the lone goal for the Sharks despite the strong defensive effort by the Tritons.

INSIDE THE MATCH
SCORE: Nova Southeastern 1, Eckerd 1
RECORDS: Nova Southeastern (8-1-4, 5-1-3), Eckerd (4-5-3, 1-4-3)
LOCATION: St. Petersburg, FLA. I Johnson Athletic Field
GET SOCIAL: Instagram – NSU_WSoccer I Twitter – nsu_wsoccer I Facebook – /nsusoccer

HOW IT HAPPENED

  • Eckerd started the game firing multiple shots on goal which were swiped away by NSU goalie Stephane Rosa.
  • Shortly after in the 15′ Louise Matsgard had a great look at the net but couldn’t connect.
  • As the first half progressed both defenses were lock down. Eckerd continued to attack offensively but due to the stellar defense by the Sharks, none of their shots made their way to the back of the net. 
  • Luana Grabias started the second half aggressive, firing two quick shots on goal that were saved by Eckerd’s Cadence Talbert.
  • In the 78th minute, the draw would come to an end. Dani Correa scored an impressive goal, thanks to a great setup by Luana Grabias, giving NSU a 1-0 lead.
  • Four minutes later Hajar Benjoud quickly scored a goal for Eckerd, bringing the game back to a stalemate. 
  • In the closing minutes, both teams continued to fire shots on goal but were unsuccessful resulting in a 1-1 tie. 

UPCOMING
Nova Southeastern is back at home on Tuesday, October 25th at 7:00pm against Palm Beach Atlantic.

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