GAME INFORMATION
Mid-South Conference Tournament Semifinals
Score: No. 3 Keiser 18, No. 5 Marian 9
Records: No. 3 Keiser (13-3), No. 5 Marian (13-4)
Location: UC Soccer/Lacrosse Complex, Williamsburg, Ky.

KU HIGHLIGHTS

• The No. 2 seed and third-ranked Keiser advanced to the inaugural Mid-South Conference Tournament Championship game with a dominant performance over the No. 3 seed and fifth-ranked Marian.
• Keiser's 13th victory of the season put the team past their 2018 mark of 12 wins.
• It was a complete and well-balanced offensive game for the Seahawks, paced by a career-high six points from Se'Anna Beikirch on two goals and a career-high four assists.
• Hayley Mazreku and Melanie Brown notched hat-tricks in the victory.
• Senior Kyli Towner had three points on a goal and two assists.
• Perhaps the Seahawks' greatest statistical advantage came in the draw control category, as Keiser won the battle with the Knights by a 17-12 margin. Madalyn Huber corralled six to lead the way.
• Just like their previous matchup with the Knights, a 17-4 KU victory in West Palm Beach, the Seahawks defense slowed down the Marian attack. Defender ,Julia Gagliardi and Towner caused two turnovers apiece.
• Jessica Covell earned her 12th win of the season in goal for Keiser, stopping 12 shots while conceding seven goals in just under 52 minutes played. Mickey Sherrill played the final 8:18, allowing two goals while making three saves.

TURNING POINT
Marian was within striking distance at the halftime break trailing 9-4, but Keiser came out strong to start the second half and put the game well out of reach to cruise to the postseason win.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Towner collected the opening draw control and passed it ahead to Huber, who outpaced the Knights' defense and ran it all the way up the center of the field for a shot from the left side that found the back of the net just 14 seconds into the contest.
• The Seahawks increased their early advantage to 3-0 on the strength of back-to-back goals from Brown, the first coming on a free-position attempt and the second coming off a pass from Beikirch at the 25:29 mark.
• The Knights got on the scoreboard before two freshman connected on a fourth goal, Brown to Lena Finkelstein to make it 4-1 with 24:05 until the halftime whistle.
• Finkelstein's goal was the starting point of a 5-0 run as the Seahawks continued a torrid offensive pace to go in front 8-1, capped off by a Reddington score in front of net on a pass from Towner with 11:24 on the clock.
• Marian briefly stemmed the momentum with three consecutive tallies to draw to within 8-4 at the 7:25.
• However, Maria Johnson took advantage of a man-up opportunity by picking up a loose ball in front of net and firing home to make it 9-4 KU with 2:02 on the clock. The score remained the same at the halftime break.
• It was déjà vu to begin the second half, as Keiser once again controlled the opening draw control and brought it right down the field for a goal, as Beikirch scored an unassisted goal just seven seconds in.
• After alternating goals, Brown and Mazreku completed their hat tricks with back-to-back goals as the Seahawks ran off five straight to take a comfortable 16-5 advantage with 14:21 to play. 
• The Knights grabbed the next two goals before Dakota Zdun and Valeria Lomaglio got into the scoring action with unassisted goals as the margin went right back up to 11 goals, 18-7 with just 3:46 remaining
• Marian notched the final two goals of the game but it wasnt enough as the Seahawks advanced to the championship game tomorrow with their 18-9 victory.

 
TEAM LEADERS
No. 3 Keiser
Points: Beikirch (6)
Goals: Mazreku/Brown (3)
Assists: Beikirch (4)
Draw Controls: Huber (6)
Ground Balls: Lomaglio (5)
Caused Turnovers: Towner/Gagliardi (2)
Saves: Covell (12)
 
No. 5 Marian
Points: Fischbeck (5)
Goals: Fischbeck/Garland (2)
Assists: Fischbeck (3)
Draw Controls: Robson/Garland (5)
Ground Balls: Monahan (4)
Caused Turnovers: Moning (2)
Saves: Monahan (17)

Up Next
No. 3 Keiser advances to the inaugural Mid-South Conference Tournament Championship tomorrow at 3:00 p.m. where it will meet the tournament's host, top seeded and No. 7 ranked Cumberlands. The winner of Saturday's game will earn an automatic bid to the NAIA Tournament on May 8 through May 11 in Grand Rapids, Michigan.