GAME INFORMATION
Score: No. 5 Keiser 7, No. 3 Cumberlands 8
Records: No. 5 Keiser (2-3), No. 3 Cumberlands (5-1)
Location: Cardinal Newman High School – West Palm Beach, Fla.

KU HIGHLIGHTS

• Keiser was able to outshoot Cumberlands by a 36-24 margin.
• Both Dylan Sharpe and Ryan Johnson contributed three points on a goal and two assists apiece to lead the Keiser attack.
• John Senior notched two impressive scores with on-target attempts from deep, both coming in the opening quarter.
• Hunter East, Tyler Kalmowitz, and Thomas Coppini each recorded one goal for the Seahawk cause.
• Sharpe was able to collect a game-high seven ground balls, while defender Channing Thomas caused a team-high two turnovers.
• Marco Olortegui made a number of great saves, and concluded his outing with nine saves.

 TURNING POINT
The game was neck-and-neck all the way, with neither team ever able to separate by any more than two goals. Keiser was able to go ahead by two scores in the final 15 minutes of play at 7-5, but the Patriots' had a quick response and got right back into it down the stretch for what proved to be a thrilling finish.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Seahawks got off to the start they had hoped for in the NAIA Top-5 matchup, as Senior got Keiser on the board with a rocket from the right side off a pass from Sharpe at the 13:11 mark.
• Senior struck again with yet another shot from afar, making it 2-0 Seahawks four minutes into the contest. The Patriots however worked their way into it with back-to-back goals, equalizing it at two goals apiece at the 4:43 mark.
• Keiser finished the quarter well and went into the second quarter with a 4-2 lead after goals from Johnson and Sharpe, with Sharpe's finish coming on nice execution after a move from behind the net with just 18 seconds remaining.
• The second period saw the Patriots knot the game at 4-4 with 6:23 until the intermission after consecutive markers, and the visitors were then able to remain tied and keep the Seahawks off the scoreboard until the halftime whistle in what started to become a defensive battle.
• The Patriots went in front for the first time of the game at 5-4 with 10:47 on the clock in the third quarter, but the Seahawks proceeded to break their scoring drought after an East shot from deep hit the top of the net with 7:33 left in the third.
• Kalmowitz got into the scoring column with an unassisted goal with 2:36 on the clock, and the Seahawks grabbed the slim lead once again, this time at 6-5. The score would remain that way headed into the crucial final 15 minutes.
• Coppini had a highlight-reel finish in front of the cage off another nice dish from Sharpe, and the Seahawks extended their advantage to 7-5 with 11:22 remaining.
• The Patriots didn't take long to respond, and drew right back to within one goal at 7-6 KU just 14 seconds after Coppini's finish. Seemingly in the blink of an eye, the Patriots proceeded to once again erase the two-goal deficit by tying it at seven goals apiece with 9:15 to play.
• After penalties on each side, Keiser had a man-up opportunity for 30 seconds, but East's catch and shoot from straight on was saved by the keeper. The Patriots then transitioned up the field and made the most of a scoring opportunity with 3:55 left, going in front 8-7.
• Keiser had possession with 1:11 still on the clock and elected to call a timeout, but the Patriots were then able to force a turnover and run out much of the clock before the Seahawks forced a turnover of their own with eight seconds left.
• Keiser threw the ball up the field, but just did not have enough time on the clock to get a shot attempt off, as No. 3 Cumberlands was able to escape with the 8-7 result under the lights at Cardinal Newman High School.

TEAM LEADERS
No. 5 Keiser
Points: Johnson/Sharpe (3)
Goals: Senior (2)
Assists: Johnson/Sharpe (2)
Faceoffs: Collins (7-of-18)
Ground Balls: Sharpe (7)
Caused Turnovers: Thomas (2)
Saves: Olortegui (9)
 
No. 3 Cumberlands
Points: Smith (3)
Goals: Brooks/Darley/Smith (2)
Assists: Four with 1
Faceoffs: Calmes (8-of-10)
Ground Balls: DiFranco/Settle (6)
Caused Turnovers: DiFranco (4)
Saves: Settle (11)

Up Next
The No. 5 Seahawks will look to rebound from the narrow defeat when it hosts receiving votes Lawrence Tech on Saturday, March 16 at 1:00 p.m. on Arrigo Vecellio Field.