The student newspaper at Florida Gulf Coast University 7]^Zl\X^c\e\nj
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Nfd\eËj jfZZ\i Y\Zfd\j Ô ijk k\Xd `e =>:L _`jkfip kf X[mXeZ\ kf Xe E:88 ;`m`j`fe @ kflieXd\ek 9p QXZ_ >`YYfej J\e`fi jkX]] ni`k\i Hospitalized with a 104-degree fever Saturday night, freshman forward Shannen Wacker recovered to score the biggest goal in team history. In its first season of NCAA Division I post-season eligibility, top-seeded FGCU won its first ever Atlantic Sun tournament title when the Eagles beat No. 6 Mercer, 1-0, in double-overtime in the championship game. With the win, the Eagles earned an automatic bid into the NCAA tournament—the first such appearance for FGCU in any sport— where they will face Florida at 7 p.m. Saturday in Gainesville in the opening round. The No. 2 regional seed Gators (16-7, 7-4 SEC) beat FGCU (144-2, 7-1-1 A-Sun) 5-0 on Sept. 11 in Gainesville. The names of players such as Stephanie Powers, Gina Petracco, Olivia Elias, Kathleen Hunter, KC Correllus, Ashley Ciesielczyk, Brittany Burt, and, yes, Wacker, among many others, will forever be etched into the history of FGCU athletics. The path to Sunday’s victory was anything but easy, as the Eagles faced last year’s A-Sun tournament champion, Mercer. Mercer had defeated No. 3 Jacksonville and No. 2 ETSU to make it to t h e championship game. It was a grueling defensive struggle t h r o u g h regulation. E a c h defense w a s
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–Shannen Wacker Freshman forward on scoring the game-winning goal
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able to hold the opposing offense scoreless for the 90 minutes of regulation play, and through the first overtime period. Then, in the second overtime, with a little more than four minutes remaining, freshman forward Wacker made history when she received a header from senior forward Gina Petracco, and one-shot the ball into the right corner of the net, giving FGCU the victory. Wacker felt good coming through for a senior class that has waited patiently for a post-season opportunity. “It’s a great feeling,” Wacker said. “The seniors wanted it, I wanted it, we all wanted it. I’m so glad I could help them (the seniors) get there. We built our
way up a mountain, and we just kept climbing the whole way. We just wanted it so bad, and this is what happens when you want something.” Senior defender
Hunter, who stayed a fifth season after redshirting her sophomore year and who is one of the founding players of FGCU’s soccer program, couldn’t describe her feelings. “It’s kind of an unreal experience (winning the A-Sun Championship),” Hunter said. “It’s all kind of hitting me still.” The moment has to wear off quickly, with the Gators looming o n
Saturday night. FGCU appreciates being the underdog and looks forward to avenging the blowout loss to Florida in September. “It’s what we’ve been working for all year and I’m just happy to be a part of it,” said senior goalie Powers, who recorded her 31st career shutout on Sunday, which extended her A-Sun record for most shutouts. “Hopefully we can make a run. We’re the underdog now looking for a shot.” Redshirt senior defender KC Correllus says it helps having seen Florida before. “We knew we were going to get someone big,” Correllus said. “We had either Florida State in mind or UCF. Obviously we’re the underdogs, and will be ready to go. We’re excited. We’ve seen them before. It wasn’t a very good game for us when we met before, but we know how they play and it’ll be challenging.” FGCU coach Jim Blankenship believes it is another big moment in what has already been an historic season. “I think it’s huge (the run to the NCAA tournament),” Blankenship said. “It’s e v e r y t h i n g, to be the first team in the history of the university to go to the NCAA tournament, the respect it gains for our kids, and all the hard work they’ve put into it to get this opportunity.” =ifd c\]k1 Jk\g_Xe`\ Gfn\ij# ^fXcb\\g\i2 >`eX G\kiXZZf# ]finXi[2 BXk ?lek\i# [\]\ej\2 Xe[ 8dXe[X >fYc\# d`[Ô \c[\i <E g_fkf&D`b\ I`ZZ`