From the Ice Rink to the Field, Alexa Bereczki Shares Her Journey to Becoming a Freshman Phenom

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL- Alexa Bereczki’s rise as the SSC Freshman of the Year and All-SSC Second Team member has solidified her status as a force in her first year as a Shark. The freshman phenom became one of the most prominent goal scorers in the Sunshine State Conference and the Nova Southeastern women’s soccer program. 

Growing up in Fort Myers, FL, Bereczki’s passion for figure skating instilled a strong sense of balance and precision. Her unique background translated seamlessly to the soccer field, where she developed a reputation for her athleticism and goal-scoring ability. Her high school career at Evangelical Christian School was marked by impressive statistics: 33 goals, 15 assists, and a regional semifinal appearance. 

“When I tore my ACL a few years back, I didn’t realize the physical strength that I added to help me on the field and feel the impact of it,” said Bereczki. 

Despite uncertainty about her collegiate soccer future, Bereczki’s mother’s unwavering support and encouragement played a vital role in her decision to attend NSU. Her mother’s belief in her potential reignited her love for the game. 

“My mom was there for me every game, even if I told her not to,” said Bereczki. “My love for soccer was gone at one point, and my mom kept pushing me for one more year, and she’s ultimately why I fell back in love with the game. She’s always known what to say to keep me motivated as a person and an athlete.” 

Coach Amy Vaughan recognized Bereczki’s talent and work ethic, making her a key addition to the Sharks’ program. The freshman quickly adapted to the collegiate level, earning significant playing time and contributing to the team’s success. Her versatility and ability to execute game plans have impressed her coaches and teammates. 

“When I watched Alexa play in high school, she was fully in touch with her coaches,” said Coach Vaughan. “Win or lose, she never stopped, and she never had an attitude change. She fought hard and stuck to the game plan, which made her an ideal fit for our program.” 

Bereczki’s impact on the field has been undeniable. She scored six goals in her first season and is currently tied for fourth in NSU Women’s Soccer history, with five game-winning goals in her career. Her contributions extended to the NCAA Tournament, where she scored a goal in her debut.  

As Bereczki looks ahead to her sophomore year, she remains committed to improving her physical strength and technical skills. With her talent, dedication, and the support of her coaches and teammates, she is poised to continue making significant contributions to the Nova Southeastern Women’s Soccer program. 

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Sharks Fall Short in NCAA Tournament Against #6 West Florida

PENSACOLA, Fla. – The Nova Southeastern women’s soccer team fell short in Sunday afternoon’s NCAA Tournament second-round matchup against the University of West Florida Argonauts 2-1 from the UWF Soccer Complex.  
 

Breakdown 
 
Score: Nova Southeastern 1 | West Florida 2 
Records: Nova Southeastern (8-6-4, 4-2-3 SSC) | University of West Florida (16-1-3, 10-0-2 SSC)    
Location: UWF Soccer Complex | Pensacola, Fla.    
Get Social: Instagram and X – NSU_WSoccer
    

How it Happened

 
What's Next  

The Sharks have concluded their 2024 season with an 8-6-4 overall record. 
 
To stay up-to-date on Sharks Soccer throughout the offseason, be sure to follow on Instagram and X at NSU_WSoccer. 

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Sharks Handle Union, Advance to Second Round of NCAA Tournament

PENSACOLA, Fla. – The Nova Southeastern women’s soccer team is moving onto the Second Round of the NCAA Division II Tournament after a 4-1 victory over the Union University Bulldogs in Friday afternoon’s NCAA South Region first-round matchup. Goals from Ella Niemela (1), Kajsa Lang (1), and Genesis Hernandez (2) led the way for the Sharks.

Breakdown  
 
Score: Nova Southeastern 4 | Union (TN) 1 
Records: Nova Southeastern (8-5-4, 4-2-3 SSC) | Union University (10-6-2, 8-2-2 GSC)    
Location: UWF Soccer Complex | Pensacola, Fla.    
Get Social: Instagram and X – NSU_WSoccer    

How it Happened

  • As the first half continued, stellar defense from Emilie Schroeder kept the Bulldogs at bay, keeping it a 1-0 game heading into halftime. 

  • In the 85th minute, Genesis Hernandez closed out the game by scoring her second of the game off an assist from Kajsa Lang, ultimately sending the Sharks to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. 
     

Quotes  
 
Coach Amy Vaughan – We are very happy with the girls, opening round is always a difficult game, and to score 4 goals and dominate the game the way we did shows how much improvement we have had across the year. The group stuck together and we’re looking forward to moving on. 

Genesis Hernandez – We came out today with a game plan of what we needed to do and even though it started slower than we wanted, we still executed perfectly. This game is a great way to start off this tournament.
 
What's Next  
 
The Sharks will stay in Pensacola to take on the number one-seeded West Florida Argonauts in the second round of the NCAA Tournament this Sunday, November 24th at 4:00 PM at the UWF Soccer Complex. 

To stay up-to-date on Sharks Soccer, follow on Instagram and Twitter/X at NSU_WSoccer.  

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Sharks Set to Take on Union in Round One of the NCAA Tournament

PENSACOLA, Fla. – The fifth-seeded Nova Southeastern Women’s Soccer Team (7-5-4) takes on fourth-seeded Union University (TN) (10-5-2) out of the GSC for a first-round matchup in the South Region. This will be the first ever matchup  between Nova Southeastern and Union University.

Kickoff is set for 4:00 p.m. EST. 

The Sharks were lined up to play Union University on September 13th originally, but that was canceled due to weather. This is the first NCAA Tournament appearance for the Bulldogs, as they are led by sophomore standouts, Lucia Revuelto and Irene Arias. Lucia and Irene were recently named to the All-GSC Second team. Revuelto, an outstanding forward, finished tied atop the GSC with seven assists along with six goals, leading the team with 19 points on the year. Arias, the centerpiece of the Bulldogs defense has led the team to five shutouts on the year. Arias has also scored three goals this season.

NSU is coming off an impressive run in the SSC tournament that ended in heartbreaking fashion against Florida Tech in penalties. The Sharks are making their third consecutive NCAA tournament appearance and are looking tou bounce back after being eliminated in the second round and third round in consecutive years.

The Sharks are led by All-SSC Tournament selections Alexa Bereczki, Izzy Martinez, Haley Mettrick, and Genesis Hernandez. They look to continue their outstanding postseason play against Union and make a run in the 2024 NCAA Tournament.

To stay up-to-date on Sharks Soccer, be sure to follow on Instagram and X at NSU_WSoccer.
 

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Sharks Return to NCAA Tournament

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The Nova Southeastern women’s soccer team heads back to the NCAA tournament for the third consecutive year after being selected in Monday night’s NCAA selection show.

The Sharks were tabbed as the fifth seed in the NCAA Tournament, which is comprised of members from the Gulf South Conference and the Sunshine State Conference.

NSU will take on Union (TN) on November 22 at 4:00 p.m. in Pensacola, Fla. The winner of that match will face the number one-seeded West Florida Argonauts on Sunday, November 24th, at 4:00 p.m. 

The Sharks look to bounce back from the SSC Championship loss and make a deep postseason push. Nova Southeastern’s strong offensive attack led by All-SSC selections Alexa Bereczki, Tabea Schutt, and Sofia Suarez have been a nightmare for opposing defenses all season long. Defensively, Izzy Martinez, Ella Niemela, and Emilie Schroeder have been at the forefront of the Sharks stingy defense, accumulating four total shutouts on the year.

Florida Tech and Embry-Riddle were the other SSC programs that qualified for the NCAA Tournament. The Panthers received the No. 2 seed, and the Eagles earned the No. 6 seed. The Eagles will face the No. 3 seed, Montevallo, and the winner will advance to face Florida Tech in what could potentially be an SSC duel.

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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Sharks Fall Short in PKs in the SSC Championship

MELBOURNE, Fla. – The Nova Southeastern women’s soccer team lost in penalty kicks (5-4) on Sunday afternoon in the SSC Championship against the Florida Tech Panthers. 
 
Breakdown

Score: Nova Southeastern 0 | Florida Tech 0 (Sharks lose 5-4 on PKs)
Records: Nova Southeastern (7-5-4, 4-2-3 SSC) | Florida Tech (13-2-3, 8-1-1 SSC)  
Location: Rick Stottler Field | Melbourne, Fla. 
Get Social: Instagram and X – NSU_WSoccer  

How it Happened

  • The Sharks and Panthers were grinding through a defensive game in the first half as Emilie Schroeder was stealing the show with four saves.
  • After 90 minutes, the match could not be decided in regulation as the game was 0-0 heading to overtime.
  • Through the first period of overtime, the Panthers and Sharks held each other in check to keep the score at 0-0 as they headed into the second overtime period.
  • Both teams could not find the back of the net and the SSC Championship would then have to be decided by a shootout.
  • In the shootout, each of the team’s first four players made their shots to make it 4-4.
  • In the 5th attempt, Florida Tech hit on their shot and it came down to Tabea Schütt.
  • FIT’s keeper would make an impressive save to secure the 2024 SSC Championship for the Panthers. 

 Coach's Corner

Coach Amy Vaughan – We are very proud of the team, and everyone played their part. We didn’t concede a goal in open play and it was a target of ours, which we are very happy with. Losing on PKs is always a tough way to lose, but both teams push each other right to the end and we look forward to moving into next week.
 
 What's Next
Nova Southeastern awaits the NCAA Selection Show on November 13th. 

To stay up-to-date on Sharks Soccer, follow on Instagram and Twitter/X at NSU_WSoccer.
 

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Sharks Ready for SSC Championship Matchup Against Panthers

MELBOURNE, Fla. – The Nova Southeastern Women’s Soccer Team (7-5-3) takes on the Number One Seeded Florida Tech Panthers (13-2-2) for the SSC Championship on Sunday, November 17th. The Sharks and the Panthers have been here before as the SSC foes faced off last year, when the Panthers defeated the Sharks in the NCAA South Region Championship 3-1.

Kickoff is set for 1:00 p.m. EST. 

The Sharks are coming off two wins in the SSC tournament as the three seed, taking down Eckerd College 3-1 and Rollins College 3-2. The Sharks are led by All-SSC selections first team forward Sofia Suarez, second team forward Tabea Schutt, third team defender Izzy Martinez and Alexa Bereczki who received Freshman of the Year honors as well as a All-SSC 2nd team nod. Alexa has led the Sharks in goals this season and look to continue their efforts in this postseason run against the Panthers.

The Sharks and the Panthers have played twice this season, once at NSU where Florida Tech won a tough 1-0 defensive battle against the Sharks on September 21st. Then, the second matchup resulted in a 1-1 draw in Melbourne on October 16th.

Florida Tech team is coming off two close matches where they defeated Barry in the SSC Quarterfinals 2-1 in double overtime and a tough win the SSC Semifinals against Saint Leo. The Panthers earned most of the major awards in the SSC as Katy Freels won Coach of the Year, Marta Llopis as the Offensive Player of the Year, Daniela Tobon as the Defensive Player of the Year, and Kaitlin Sinkler as the Goalkeeper of the Year. The Panthers also led the conference with nine All-SSC selections including Ximena Jauregui, Sara Batchadji, Lauryn Wood, Rebecca Storr, Halla Helgadottir, and Alice Mottershead.

To stay up-to-date on Sharks Soccer, be sure to follow on Instagram and X at NSU_WSoccer.
 

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Sharks Take Down Tars, Advance to SSC Championship

WINTER PARK, Fla. –  The Nova Southeastern Women’s Soccer team makes their return to the Sunshine State Conference Championship for the first time since the 2018 season. Goals by Haley Mettrick, Alexa Bereczki, and Emma Sellden propelled the Sharks to the 3-2 SSC semi final victory over the Rollins Tars. 
 

 Breakdown
  
Score: Nova Southeastern 3 | Rollins 2 
Records: Nova Southeastern (7-5-3, 4-2-3 SSC) | Rollins (8-5-3, 5-3-1 SSC)   
Location: Barker Family Stadium and Cahall-Sandspur Field | Winter Park, Fla.   
Get Social: Instagram and X – NSU_WSoccer    

How it Happened

  • Shortly after, Alexa Bereczki joined the action in the 18th minute, scoring the Sharks second goal of the match.  

  • With just under nine minutes remaining in the game, Emma Sellden gave the Sharks the lead, ultimately leading to a 3-2 Sharks victory. 
     

Quotes

Coach Amy Vaughan – Rollins away from home is always a tough game, we were very disappointed the last time we traveled here and wanted to rectify that. To play the way we did, show the characteristics and to continue to push forward shows how far this team has come. We are very proud of the team and look forward to training tomorrow. 

Emma Sellden – It’s a great team win, we’re super proud of the performance and we fully deserved the win, we’re looking forward to moving on. 
 

What's Next

The Sharks will take on Florida Tech in the SSC Championship on Sunday, November 17th at 1:00 p.m. 
 
To stay up-to-date on Sharks Soccer, follow on Instagram and Twitter/X at NSU_WSoccer. 

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Bereczki Highlights SSC Women’s Soccer Awards

MELBOURNE, FL- Four Sharks shined during the 2024 soccer season and were recognized by the Sunshine State Conference for their outstanding performances.  

Alexa Bereczki became the fourth Shark to achieve Freshman of the Year honors, the first Shark to win that honor since Adanna Edwards in 2017, and earned a spot on the All-SSC Second Team. Sofia Suarez was selected to the All-SSC First Team as a unanimous selection and Tabea Schütt was an At-Large selection for the All-SSC Second Team. Izzy Martinez rounded out the All-SSC selections for the Sharks, earning an At-Large selection as well on the All-SSC Third Team.  

Alexa started 13 of the 14 games for the Sharks in the 2024 season. She tied for first on the team in goals with five while also accumulating one assist. All five of her goals were game-winning goals. 

Sofia started in 13 games for the Sharks in her All-SSC First Team campaign. She was the center of the Sharks’ attack, as she tied the team lead in shots on goal with 15 and tied for first on the team with five goals. She also had two assists on the season. Sofia scored one game-winning goal in the 85th minute against Palm Beach Atlantic. 

Tabea started all 14 games for the Sharks in her 2024 campaign, which resulted in her being named to the All-SSC Second Team. She led the team with three assists and added four goals on only nine shots on goal for the season. Tabea finished with 1,036 minutes on the season for the Sharks. 

Izzy, the Sharks’ captain, started all 14 games, resulting in her achieving All-SSC Third Team honors. Izzy was a defensive force for the Sharks all season long, finishing third on the team in minutes with 1,160 minutes. 

The Sharks advanced to the SSC Semifinals where they will travel to Winter Park to take on the second-seeded Rollins College on November 14th, at 7:00 PM.  
  

To stay up-to-date on Sharks Soccer, be sure to follow on Instagram and Twitter/X at NSU_MSoccer.     
 
The complete list of the All-SSC teams is below. 

Offensive Player of the Year: Marta Llopis, Florida Tech
Defensive Player of the Year: Daniela Tobon, Florida Tech
Goalkeeper of the Year: Kaitlin Sinkler, Florida Tech
Freshman of the Year: Alexa Bereczki, Nova Southeastern
Coach of the Year: Katy Freels, Florida Tech
 

2024 Women’s Soccer ALL-SSC First Team

Pos.

Name

School

Yr.

Hometown

F

Ximena Jauregui

Florida Tech

Gr.

Cancun, Mexico

F

Ashley Shimberg

Florida Southern

Gr.

Tampa, Florida

F

Briyah Drayton~

Rollins

Jr.

Apopka, Florida

F (AL)

Alia Jaidi

Barry

Sr.

Casablanca, Morocco

M

Marta Llopis

Florida Tech

Jr.

Barcelona, Spain

M

Grace Foyer^§

Embry-Riddle

Sr.

York, England

M

Sofia Suarez*

Nova Southeastern

Jr.

Miami Lakes, Florida

D

Sara Batchadji~

Florida Tech

So.

Lubeck, Germany

D

Harmoni Thomas

Rollins

Jr.

Orlando, Florida

D

Amanda Caines

Rollins

Fr.

Coral Springs, Florida

G

Kaitlin Sinkler

Florida Tech

Jr.

Decatur, Georgia

2024 Women’s Soccer ALL-SSC Second Team

Pos.

Name

School

Yr.

Hometown

F

Lauryn Wood~

Florida Tech

Jr.

Preston, England

F

Ella Owen

Saint Leo

Sr.

Vidalia, Georgia

F

Alexa Bereczki

Nova Southeastern

Fr.

Fort Myers, Florida

M

Lauryn Mateo*#

Embry-Riddle

So.

Orange Park, Florida

M

Daniela Tobon*

Florida Tech

Gr.

Weston, Florida

M

Kayla Park

Rollins

Sr.

Lisbon, Connecticut

M (AL)

Tabea Schütt*

Nova Southeastern

Gr.

Hamburg, Germany

D

Rebecca Storr

Florida Tech

Jr.

Waldhaeusern, Switzerland

D

Thea Nyberg^‡

Embry-Riddle

Jr.

Uppsala, Sweden

D

Savannah Larsen

Lynn

Gr.

Arlington Heights, Illinois

G

Hannah Goetzer

Saint Leo

So.

Backnang, Germany

2024 Women’s Soccer ALL-SSC Third Team

Pos.

Name

School

Yr.

Hometown

F

Kendall Drummond*

Eckerd

Sr.

Valrico, Florida

F

Ida Zetterberg

Embry-Riddle

Fr.

Uppsala, Sweden

F

Lexie Cooper

Rollins

Jr.

Clarkston, Michigan

M

Rilee Hasegawa

Florida Southern

So.

Geneva, Illinois

M

Franziska Theus

Saint Leo

Gr.

Wuppertal, Germany

M

Berglind Thrastardottir~

Embry-Riddle

So.

Hafnarfjordur, Iceland

D

Halla Helgadottir~

Florida Tech

Jr.

Egilsstadir, Iceland

D

Alice Mottershead

Florida Tech

Fr.

Manchester, England

D

Hattie Kettle*†#

Embry-Riddle

Sr.

Bracknell, England

D (AL)

Izzy Martinez

Nova Southeastern

Sr.

Plantation, Florida

G

Fernanda Mayrink

Barry

Fr.

Belo Horizonte, Brazil

^ = 2023 First Team All-SSC
* = 2023 Second Team All-SSC
~ = 2023 Third Team All-SSC
† = 2022 First Team All-SSC
‡ = 2022 Second Team All-SSC
§ = 2021 Second Team All-SSC
# = Previously named SSC Freshman of the Year
(AL) = At Large Selection

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Sharks Take Down Tritons, Advance to SSC Semifinals

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The Sharks put on an offensive clinic against the Eckerd Tritons in the second half to move onto the SSC Semifinals. Goals from Genesis Hernandez, Alexa Bereczki, and Haley Mettrick propelled the Sharks past the Tritons in Monday night’s SSC Quarterfinal matchup.

Breakdown
 
Score: Nova Southeastern 3  | Eckerd 1
Records: Nova Southeastern (6-5-3, 4-2-3 SSC) | Eckerd (4-6-6, 3-4-3 SSC)  
Location: NSU Soccer Stadium | Fort Lauderdale, Fla.  
Get Social: Instagram and X – NSU_WSoccer   

How it Happened

  • The Sharks and Tritons had a defensive battle throughout the first half with only two shots on goal for the Sharks.
  • Coming out of the second half, the Sharks capitalized on their chance with a Genesis Hernandez goal set up by Sofia Suarez to put NSU ahead 1-0 in the 52nd minute.
  • Alexa Bereczki scores on another scoring chance set up by Tabea Schütt for the Sharks’ second goal of the half in the 62nd minute to go up 2-0.
  • The Tritons immediately answered the Sharks’ second goal to keep it a 1-goal lead at 2-1 in the 64th minute.
  • The Sharks put the game out of reach with a goal in the 75th minute by Haley Mettrick assisted by Emma Sellden to make it a 3-1 game.

Quotes 

Coach Amy Vaughan – Today was a very good performance, we talked about executing cleaner in the final third and overall better decisions. The girls did exactly that and we now move on to build from today.

Haley Mettrick– We talked a lot about improving our execution from last game and better decisions, in the attacking half of the field today we did just that and we got the awards and look forward moving on to the Semifinals.

 
What's Next
 
The Sharks will take on the winner of the Rollins/Lynn matchup on Thursday, November 14th. The game start is to be announced.

To stay up-to-date on Sharks Soccer, follow on Instagram and Twitter/X at NSU_WSoccer. 
 

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