HARDEEVILLE, S.C. – In a thrilling Sun Conference Tournament final, fourth-seeded Southeastern University claimed their first title since 2018, edging out second-seeded SCAD Savannah 5-4 in a penalty shootout after a dramatic 3-3 draw through regulation and two overtime periods on November 14, 2024.
SCAD Savannah took early control with a 2-0 lead in the first half. Moritz Prattes opened the scoring in the 9th minute, assisted by Caio Lara, followed by Michael O’Brien’s goal in the 22nd minute, set up by Raffael Mohr. However, Southeastern stormed back in the second half. Liam Fisch halved the deficit in the 46th minute, and SCAD seemed to regain momentum with a 52nd-minute strike from Daire Russell, assisted by Tim Rothe, to make it 3-1.
Southeastern battled back with Fisch scoring his second goal in the 83rd minute, assisted by Colton Eliasen, followed by Victor Cavalcante’s equalizing penalty in the 88th minute to tie it at 3-3. Despite two overtime periods, neither team could break the deadlock.
The Fire maintained their composure in the penalty shootout, converting all five attempts to defeat the Bees 5-4 and secure the title. Southeastern's championship journey was marked by relentless effort, as they battled through the quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals, with each match surpassing 100 minutes. The win concludes an incredible tournament run for Southeastern, earning them the league’s automatic berth into the NAIA National Tournament.
This year’s Tournament Most Valuable Player award went to SEU’s Liam Fisch, who scored twice in regulation to narrow SCAD’s lead and netted the game-winning penalty kick for the Fire. He also scored in Monday’s semifinal, showcasing his key role in Southeastern’s championship run.
The remainder of the All-Tournament Team will be announced on Friday, November 15th.
Click here for more information on this year's Tournament Championship.
ABOUT THE SUN CONFERENCE
Now entering its 35th year, The Sun Conference, a 501c3 organization, continues to be one of the most successful intercollegiate athletic conferences in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). Under the guidance of Commissioner Dustin Wilke, the league sponsors championships in 24 NAIA sports. Learn more at thesunconference.com
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