GAME INFORMATION
Indpendent Conference Tournament Championship
Score: No. 8 Keiser 11, No. 10 SCAD-Savannah 10
Records: No. 8 Keiser (8-6), No. 10 SCAD-Savannah (7-4)
Location: Knoxville Catholic High School's Blaine Stadium – Knoxville, Tenn.

KU HIGHLIGHTS

• With the Independent Conference Tournament Championship win, No. 8 Keiser advanced to the NAIA National Tournament for the third consecutive season.
• The Seahawk defense came through down the stretch to hold off a surge from the Bees. Goalkeeper Marco Olortegui matched a career-high with 15 saves in the full 60 minutes played.
• Three Seahawks had multi-goal games, paced by a hat-trick from freshman Ryan Johnson which matched his career-high.
• Justin Stone and Tyler Kalmowitz each found the back of the net on two occasions.
• Dylan Sharpe and Hunter East each recorded two points on a goal and an assist.
• In addition to his two goals, Stone was exceptional defensively with a team-high five ground balls and two caused turnovers.
• Emmanuel Walker also had three ground balls and two caused turnovers for the Seahawk defensive cause.

 
TURNING POINT
Keiser executed well for two goals during a SCAD penalty that came just over midway through the second quarter to establish an 8-4 lead, a lead that was never relinquished in a thrilling championship game.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• No. 8 Keiser got off to a great start, and it was the defender Stone that opened the scoring by capitalizing on a SCAD failed clear with a goal just one minute and 18 seconds into the contest.
• The next two goals also belonged to the Seahawks, who forced a SCAD timeout after Kalmowitz took a pass from John Senior to make it 3-0 with 9:46 on the clock in the opening quarter.
• The Bees were able to create a goal to get on the scoreboard, but Johnson responded with an unassisted goal off another turnover from the Bees to make it 4-1 Seahawks.
• The teams proceeded to trade scores, with Stone's second goal of the game at the 3:33 mark making it 5-2 Seahawks while proving to be the quarter's final tally.
• SCAD scored two of the first three goals in the second quarter to draw to within 6-4 Keiser, but a three minute Bee penalty with seven minutes left in the half gave Keiser the man-up opportunity.
• The Seahawks were able to execute and make the most of having the extra man on the field, as East found Cruz Waerness to make it 7-4 with 6:30 on the clock before Sharpe then found Senior with 4:30 left in the half to make it 8-4.
• The score remained that way until the halftime whistle, and the Seahawks were doubling up the Bees at the break.
• SCAD took just 29 seconds to work their way down the field and make it 8-5, but the offensive pace then began to slow a bit as neither team could break through the opposing defense for a span of over eight minutes of play.
• Johnson was able to end the scoreless stretch, netting an unassisted marker with 6:10 remaining in the third quarter to make it 9-5 in favor of the Seahawks.
• SCAD however was able to conclude the third quarter by closing the gap with two more goals of their own, and the teams went into the final 15 minutes of play with the Seahawks holding the 9-7 edge.
• The Bees kept coming and drew to within a single goal just over two minutes into the fourth quarter, but Johnson scored unassisted once again to stem the tide and make it 10-8 Seahawks with 12:08 remaining.
• East, the Independent Conference Player of the Year, scored a huge goal with 10:12 remaining to increase the Keiser cushion to three goals at 11-8.
• In need of making a comeback to keep their championship hopes alive, No. 10 SCAD made a strong surge with back-to-back goals off the stick of Wolf Zachar, the second one coming with just 4:20 left to make it 11-10 Keiser.
• In search of the equalizer, SCAD had a shot ricochet off the post at the 4:14 mark which started a wild string of events in the next couple of minutes.
• Olortegui made two great stops with 3:17 and 3:04 left to play, but then turned the ball over on a clear attempt. The Bees proceeded to have another chance to tie, but Olortegui came through with yet another stop with 2:20 on the clock.
• Keiser regained possession and took some time off the clock but turned it over with under one minute left to play, and SCAD called a timeout to execute a play with just 47 seconds remaining, still trailing Keiser 11-10.
• The Bees turned it over however as the Seahawk defense held firm, and Channing Thomas had a key ground ball with 15 seconds left to secure Keiser possession.
• After a Seahawk timeout, Keiser was able to advance the ball into the attacking half to fire a shot that was saved with just six seconds remaining, and the Bees never had another chance as top-seeded Keiser held on for the thrilling 11-10 victory.

 
TEAM LEADERS
No. 8 Keiser
Points: Johnson (3)
Goals: Johnson (3)
Assists: East/Senior/Sharpe (3)
Faceoff: Collins (8-of-21)
Ground Balls: Stone (5)
Caused Turnovers: Stone/Walker (2)
Saves: Olortegui (15)
 
No. 10 SCAD-Savannah
Points: Zachar (5)
Goals: Zachar (3)
Assists: Zachar/Thomas (2)
Faceoff: Smith (16-of-24)
Ground Balls: Smith (8)
Caused Turnovers: Bryan (4)
Saves: Wiseman (12)

UP NEXT
With the victory, No. 8 Keiser takes the season series with the Bees 2-1 and earns an automatic bid to the NAIA Tournament on May 8 through May 11 in Grand Rapids, Michigan.