FORT MYERS, FL- Before the FGCU Eagles (12-3-2, 5-3-0) final home game of the 2018 regular season, the team honored its three seniors, Shay Jackson, Holly Fritz, and Camille Knudstrup for their efforts during their careers in the Green and Blue. During the game however, it was the youngsters that took over the show as Alyssa Abbondandolo scored twice and fellow freshman Brianna Hatfield scored late in a 3-0 win over Stetson (4-10-3, 1-6-1) to secure the #4 seed for the upcoming ASUN Tournament. 

"At halftime we talked about finishing" head coach Jim Blankenship said.  "I liked how our guys responded and put them under pressure before a couple of really nice goals.  Our guys know that we have a chance in the tournament and hopefully we go out there and prove that we are a tough team to beat twice for some of those teams."

FGCU was on the attack early and often as they earned their first corner just one minute in and got an excellent chance at goal in the 5th minute. 

The Eagles continued the pressure moments later as Evdokia Popadinova (Hadzhidimovo, Bulgaria/Nikola Vaptsarov/Northwestern Ohio) and Jackson (Parkville, MO/Park Hill South HS) put shots on net and Marjorie Boilesen (Sao Paulo, Brazil/Porto Seguro/West Florida) forced back to back saves before the 20 minute mark, but couldn't get anything past the keeper as it remained a scoreless contest. 

FGCU keeper Melissa Weck (Yorba Linda, CA/Esperanza HS) was finally tested in the 22nd minute, but made a big save and gave the Eagles a chance to take the lead later in the half, but Lindsey Patton (Jacksonville, FL/Oakleaf HS) and Popadinova were turned away on the doorstep to send the game to the half scoreless. 

The Green and Blue dominated every statistical category in the first half, possessing the ball in their half nearly the entire period while outshooting the Hatters 13-3 including eight on goal to just two for Stetson. 

The pressure didn't subside as the second half began and the Eagles finally broke through in the 48th minute when a beautiful free kick into the box from Knudstrup (Lakeland, FL/George Jenkins HS) the found the head of Abbondandolo (Cape Coral, FL/Oasis HS) for her third goal of the season to put FGCU up 1-0. 

Later in the half it was Abbondandolo's turn again, this time Popadinova found her on a run and the freshman crushed a shot from outside the 18' and it ripped the cords in the back of the net for her second of the game to give the Eagles a 2-0 advantage with under 20 minutes remaining. 

The FGCU backline suffocated the Stetson attack, holding the Hatters without a shot for the final 23 minutes of action.

In the 90th and final minute, the Eagles added icing on the cake as Hatfield (Godfrey, IL/Alton HS) drew a free kick deep in the attacking third and then fired a low, driving shot off of the free kick through the Stetson wall and past the keeper for her first career goal to give FGCU a 3-0 win. 

For the third straight game, the Eagles finished with a massive disparity in shots as they outshot the Hatters 22-5 on the night and put 15 shots on goal to four for Stetson. 

Abbondandolo recorded her first multiple goal game of her young career while also leading the Eagles with four shots on goal in the win.  Weck wrapped up another clean sheet with four saves on the night, giving her her 10th shutout of the season and the 29th of her FGCU career. 

With the win, the Eagles clinch the #4 seed for next week's ASUN Tournament.  They draw #5 seed Liberty in the first round Friday, but will not know whether they are heading to until after completion of action tomorrow when all sorts of scenarios could play out on the final day of the regular season.  FGCU will either be on the road in Kennesaw, Georgia or Nashville, Tennessee depending on Sunday's results. 

ASUN STANDINGS

School	Pts	ASUN	Overall	Remaining Games
1. Lipscomb	18	6-1-0	11-4-2	@ Kennesaw St. (Sun.)
2. Kennesaw St.	15	5-2-0	12-4-1	vs. Lipscomb (Sun.)
NJIT	15	5-2-0	11-4-1	vs. North Alabama (Sun.)
FGCU	15	5-3-0	12-3-2
5. Liberty	12	4-3-0	5-10-0	vs. North Florida (Sun.)
6. North Alabama	9	3-4-0	9-8-0	@ NJIT (Sun.)
7. North Florida	7	2-4-1	7-7-1	@ Liberty (Sun.)
8. Stetson	4	1-6-1	4-10-3
9. Jacksonville	3	1-7-0	1-14-1

 
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.
 
COACH JIM BLANKENSHIP
A veteran of over two decades in collegiate coaching, head coach Jim Blankenship, who was named the ASUN Coach of the Year in 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015, has built FGCU women's soccer into a yearly contender in the ASUN Conference and a rising program in the South Region in just 11 seasons. Blankenship started the program in 2007 and has since guided the Eagles to 11 double-digit win seasons, culminating with ASUN Regular Season Championships in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017. In 2011 and 2012 he also led the Eagles to back-to-back ASUN Tournament titles and became the first team in the history of the university to make it to the NCAA Tournament. The Eagles went on to win the 2014 ASUN Tournament and hosted the first NCAA Championship event on campus. The Eagles earned their fourth NCAA Tournament appearance with the 2015 ASUN Tournament Championship and won their first NCAA game at USF in 2015 while finishing 24th in the nation. In 2016, the Eagles made it three-consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament with a third-straight ASUN Tournament title. A year later, the Eagles became the first ASUN women's soccer program to make four-straight NCAA Tournaments with another tournament title in 2017. Blankenship has guided FGCU to a 155-54-23 (71.8 W%) overall record through the first 12 seasons of the program's existence, including a 76-14-14 (79.8 W%) mark in the ASUN. Blankenship's impressive career record of 395-125-34 (74.4 W%) over 26 seasons has come while leading FGCU, the University of Miami, Lynn University and St. Thomas University.
 
#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.