FORT MYERS, Fla. - The FGCU women's soccer team (13-3, 6-0 Atlantic Sun) defeated 2013 A-Sun Tournament champion Jacksonville (9-7-1, 3-3 A-Sun), 2-0 on Saturday night at the FGCU Soccer Complex to claim a fifth-consecutive A-Sun regular season championship thus securing home field advantage throughout the conference tournament which will be held Nov. 1-9. The Eagles will host both semi-final matchups on Nov. 7 and the championship match on Nov. 9.

Tabby Tindell provided the eventual game-winning score in the 14th minute for her single-season record breaking 16th goal and it was Paulina Speckmaier who provided the insurance in the 59th minute on a long strike from outside the box. With the victory FGCU is now 3-2-5 all-time opposite JU.

"We're excited now but there's more to be done," head coach Jim Blankenship said. "Here the expectations are quite high so we would like to be in position to play for a title and get to the NCAA Tournament but this is part of that process. Winning is hard and we don't take it for granted so we're extremely proud and happy for what we've done but I think there's that experience of knowing there's more to be done."

The FGCU attack was firing on all cylinders early in this one, registering four corner kicks in over the first 6:23 of the game. With four shots already off the mark, Ally Kasun found Tindell in the middle of the field who drove down the center from 30 yards away from goal and moved into the box before firing a low shot past the JU goalkeeper for the go-ahead score.

Jacksonville used a quick strike to nearly net an equalizer moments later but the try would sail low and wide of the goal. The remainder of the first half was a back-and-forth affair but FGCU would come away with a 10-4 shot advantage and a commanding 7-1 lead on corner kicks. By the end of the match the Eagles had outshot the Dolphins 18-8 giving them a 48-15 shot advantage over the last two meeting between these two programs. Brittany Brown made four saves in the match to preserve her eighth shutout of the season and 26th of her career.

FGCU continued to apply plenty pressure in the second frame and in the 59th minute it was Ali Rogers who served a long cross from the right side to the top of the box when a JU defender deflected the ball out to Speckmaier who used just one touch to fire a long shot into the back of the net for the second tally of the game and her seventh of the season. The sophomore would fire eight more shots in this one, increasing her A-Sun leading total to 64 for the season.  

The Eagles were able to stave off any further attack from Jacksonville and run out the clock on their 2-0 victory. FGCU has now matched its 2013 win total and has two regular season matches left with at least one postseason match to try and tie the program record of 14 wins in a season set by the NCAA Tournament bound 2011 and '12 teams.

LATELY
Since dropping a 2-0 result to No. 16 South Carolina on Sept. 14 on a neutral field, the Eagles have outscored their opponents 23-4 with six shutouts, including a 14-2 advantage against A-Sun competition. FGCU is 6-2 on the road this season and 7-0 at home.

 

2014 Atlantic Sun Standings
Team	A-Sun Record	Points	Overall
*FGCU	6-0-0	18	13-3-0
*Lipscomb	4-1-1	13	10-5-2
*North Florida	3-2-1	10	5-10-1
*Jacksonville	3-3-0	9	9-6-1
Northern Kentucky	2-3-1	7	6-7-3
Kennesaw State	2-3-0	6	5-10-1
Stetson	2-4-0	6	4-11-1
USC Upstate	0-5-1	1	2-12-1
*Clinched Spots in A-Sun Championship

NATIONAL RANKS (As of Oct. 16)
1 - Game-Winning Goals – Tabby Tindell (7)
2 - Goals – Tabby Tindell (15)
2 – Points – Tabby Tindell (36)
3 – Points Per Game – Tabby Tindell (2.40)
4 – Goals Per Game – Tabby Tindell (1.0)
8 – Assists – Shannen Wacker (10)

Longest Home Unbeaten Streaks vs. Conference Opponents
Dayton (A-10) – 30
*Boston University (Patriot League/America East) – 28
Marquette (Big East) – 26
*North Texas (C-USA/Sun Belt) – 26
FGCU (A-Sun) – 25
*West Virginia (Big 12/Big East) – 24
South Dakota State (Summit League) – 23
*Streak spans multiple conference affiliations

FGCU OPPONENTS RPI
5 – Texas A&M
16 – South Carolina
22 – La Salle
30 – Arizona
55 – FGCU
57 – USF
151 – Lipscomb
154 – Miami
155 – Jacksonville
176 – Kennesaw State
186 – FIU
205 – Wofford
205 – Murray State
252 – North Florida
288 – Stetson
299 – CSU Bakersfield
326 – USC Upstate

NEXT UP
Palm Beach Atlantic (2-5-1) stops in on Oct. 22 before FGCU concludes the regular season by welcoming Stetson on Oct. 25. Holding a 6-1 advantage in the all-time series, FGCU has not lost to the Hatters since 2007 and defeated SU last season on the road 4-0. The Hatters are 4-11-1 in 2014 with a 2-4 record in A-Sun play.

JIM BLANKENSHIP
A veteran of over two decades in collegiate coaching, head coach Jim Blankenship, who was named the 2012 and 2013 A-Sun Coach of the Year, has built FGCU women's soccer into a yearly contender in the Atlantic Sun Conference and a rising program in the South Region in just eight seasons. Blankenship started the program in 2007 and has since guided the Eagles to eight double-digit win seasons, culminating with Atlantic Sun Regular Season Championships in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014. In 2011 and 2012 he also led the Eagles to back-to-back A-Sun tournament championships and became the first team in the history of the university to make it to the NCAA Tournament. Blankenship has guided FGCU to a 97-35-17 overall record over the first eight seasons of the program's existence, including a 53-9-9 mark in the A-Sun.

#WINGSUP
Fans are encouraged to download the brand-new Wings Up mobile app in conjunction with SuperFanU. The fully-customized loyalty-rewards platform allows fans to check in at each of FGCU's sporting events to earn points throughout the school year toward exclusive prizes that can't be offered anywhere else.

FOLLOW ALONG
For constant, news, photos, videos and updates you can follow the women's soccer team on Twitter @FGCU_WSoccer, on Instagram @FGCU_WSoccer or on Facebook: Facebook.com/FGCUWSoccer. You can also find FGCU athletics on YouTube by visiting YouTube.com/FGCUEagles.

TICKETS
Single-game tickets for FGCU Women's Soccer are available at a cost of $6 for adults and $3 for groups of ten (10) or more. Season tickets are also available. For more ticket information and additional deals, visit FGCUathletics.com/tickets, call or visit the ticket office at 239-590-7145.

#FEEDFGCU
FGCU Athletics sponsors events throughout the year to benefit the FGCU Campus Food Pantry (www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry) and the Harry Chapin Food Bank (www.harrychapinfoodbank.org), FGCU Athletics' charities of choice. For more information, including how to make a contribution, please visit www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry and utilize the hashtag #FeedFGCU to help raise awareness.