Kickoff to Victory: EKU Women’s Soccer Faces North Florida in ASUN Tournament Showdown!

FORT MYERS, Fla. – The Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) women’s soccer team is set for the 2025 Atlantic Sun Conference Championship. They’ll face North Florida, the No. 3 seed, on Thursday at Pickering Field, Florida Gulf Coast University.

Fans can get a day pass for $14 here. You can also catch the match live on ESPN+.

EKU enters the match with a strong record of 10 wins, 3 draws, and 5 losses this season. They finished the regular season on a high note, securing a 1-0 victory against top-seeded Lipscomb. This win marks their second consecutive season with at least ten victories.

Freshman Rachel Phifer scored the winning goal in that match. Meanwhile, freshman goalkeeper Jordan LeVasseur had an impressive game, with 12 saves, showcasing her skills as she recorded her fourth match with double-digit saves this year.

Offensively, sophomore Ella Grode leads the team with six goals and four assists. She’ll be eager to score again, as her last goal came on September 14. Chiara Premoli, a junior, is vital to EKU’s attack, boasting eight assists—the second-most in the ASUN—and ranking 27th nationally. She already holds the all-time record for assists at EKU, setting the single-season record earlier this fall.

In goal, LeVasseur’s stats speak for themselves. With 103 saves, six shutouts, and a goals-against average of 0.82, she measures among the top 10 in the nation for save percentage and total saves.

A win on Thursday would propel EKU into the semifinals on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET, where they would meet the winner of the match between No. 1 FGCU and No. 4 Bellarmine. This would mark EKU’s fourth semifinal appearance in five years.

Looking at North Florida

North Florida (7-8-4, 5-3-2 ASUN) is on a good streak, earning points in their last four matches. They celebrated wins against Stetson and Queens and battled to draws with Jacksonville and West Georgia.

Isabelle Pontieri, a redshirt junior transferred from Virginia Tech, is the star for North Florida. She has scored eight goals and provided nine assists, thriving in her last few matches. She leads her team in shots and shots on goal, putting consistent pressure on opponents.

A History to Note

The last encounter between these teams was in the 2024 ASUN Championship, where EKU secured a narrow 1-0 win on North Florida’s turf. Despite being outshot 18-3, the Colonels held firm, showcasing their resilience.

As teams prepare to clash on Thursday, both sides will aim to continue their momentum and advance further in the tournament. For up-to-date statistics and insights, feel free to visit resources like NCAA Women’s Soccer.

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