FORT MYERS, Fla.  – The top-seeded FGCU women's soccer team saw five goals from five different scorers as the Eagles defeated fifth-seeded Stetson 5-0 Friday, Nov. 6 in the Atlantic Sun Conference Semifinal. The Green and Blue advance to the A-Sun Championship Final with a record of 12-5-2, while the Hatters finish the season at 10-8-1.
 
With the victory, the Eagles move to the A-Sun Championship for the fifth time in five years of postseason eligibility. The no. 1 seed will take on no. 2 Lipscomb Sunday in a 1 p.m. contest at the FGCU Soccer Complex. Lipscomb earned the position in the championship with a 3-0 win over no. 3 Jacksonville Friday afternoon.
 
The Eagles took control from the start and pushed ahead 1-0 in the 11th minute on a successful penalty kick from senior Shea Rhoney (Lithia, Fla./Newsome High School). A late first-half goal by Ali Rogers (Naples, Fla./Gulf Coast High School) gave the home team a 2-0 lead at the break before Meaghan Mulligan (Freehold, N.J./Colts Neck High School/Tennessee), Tabby Tindell (Ocala, Fla./Trinity Catholic High School) and Shay Jackson (Parkville, Mo./Park Hill South High School) added second-half goals to increase the advantage to 5-0.
 
Overall, the Eagles outshot Stetson 22-2 en route to their 10th shutout of the season. Defensively, keeper Brittany Brown (Rochester, N.Y./Greece Athena High School) picked up her 36th career clean sheet. The senior was forced to make just one save on the night, but it was a pivotal one. Stetson was awarded a penalty kick in the 47th minute but Brown dove to her left to stop the shot and kept the momentum in FGCU's favor.
 
"I liked the way we played tonight," said head coach Jim Blankenship. "I thought the ladies did a phenomenal job and set the tempo. There were two huge moments in the game. The goal right before the half I thought really set the stage and ultimately the PK save by Brownie proved to be a key moment. Those moments helped define this game and I'm proud of the result."
 
FGCU maintained possession in its offensive third from the opening kickoff and earned four corner kicks in the first 11 minutes of action. While pressuring in the box, Stetson's defense was whistled for a hand ball and FGCU was awarded a penalty kick in the 12th minute. Rhoney stepped to the line and buried the shot to give the Green and Blue the early advantage with her third goal of the season.
 
The Eagles continued to challenge the Hatter backline, while limiting the fifth-seed's offensive output. Paulina Speckmaier (Miami, Fla./Gulliver Prep) fired another shot in the 43rd minute and in turn made way for the team's second goal of the night. Speckmaier's shot was blocked by the Stetson keeper where Rogers fired on the rebound and found the back of the net.
 
With Rogers' strike, the Eagles took a 2-0 lead into halftime.
 
The Hatters pushed into the FGCU defensive zone early in the second half and were the beneficiaries of a foul in the box in the 47th minute. Stetson lined up for a penalty kick of its own, hoping to break through the shutout but Brown dove to her left to stop the shot and keep control of the game's energy.
 
The Eagles added shots on goal from Tindell and Mulligan in the next eight minutes and produced another pair of corner kicks before the game reached its 50th minute. Mulligan continued to press the Hatter backline and received a long pass from Tindell in the 58th minute. Tindell's cross from the right side found Mulligan at the opposite end where she fired a one-timer to the far post and gave FGCU a 3-0 advantage.
 
Play slowed slightly with fewer than 30 minutes to play but the Eagles maintained control of the contest. The team was awarded another corner in the 73rd minute, its 12th of the game, and saw as Speckmaier placed the kick at freshman Camille Knudstrup's (Lakeland, Fla./George Jenkins High School) feet. Knudstrup added one more pass to the play and fed Tindell on the far side where the A-Sun Player of the Year increased the lead to 4-0 on a close-range shot. The goal was Tindell's 16th of the season and 51st of her career.
 
The Eagles added a fifth and final goal in the 82nd minute. Jackson checked into the game in the 81st minute and made an immediate impact as she received a short pass from Paige Law (Sanibel Island, Fla./Bishop Verot High School) and fired an attempt from outside the box a minute later. Jackson's shot hit the far post and recoiled into the net for her third goal of the season.
 
FGCU maintained the 5-0 lead through the 90th minute to seal its 12th win of the season. The team will continue action Sunday, Nov. 8 with a 1 p.m. contest against second-ranked Lipscomb. 2015 stands as Lipscomb's first appearance in the championship final, while FGCU returns for the fifth-straight season and will look for its fourth tournament title in five seasons. The winner of Sunday's championship game will earn the league's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. The field for the 2015 NCAA Tournament will be announced Monday, Nov. 9 at 4:30 p.m.
 
COACH 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 as well, 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, who was recently ranked the no. 6 collegiate coach nationally by AllWhiteKit.com, started the program in 2007 and has since guided the Eagles to nine double-digit win seasons, culminating with Atlantic Sun Regular Season Championships in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and now 2015. 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. The Eagles then won the 2014 A-Sun tournament and hosted the first NCAA Championship event on campus when it welcomed Auburn in front of a record crowd. Blankenship has guided FGCU to a 113-41-19 (65.3 W%) overall record through the first nine seasons of the program's existence, including a 61-9-10 (76.2 W%) mark in the A-Sun. Blankenship's impressive career record of 353-112-30 (71.3 W%) over 25 seasons has come while leading FGCU, the University of Miami, Lynn University and St. Thomas University.
 
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.
 
#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.