LAKELAND, Fla. — In their first meeting since last year's conference championship heartbreak that ended in penalty kicks, the SCAD men's soccer team delivered a powerful statement Thursday night, shutting out Southeastern University 3–0 on the road at the SEU Soccer Field.
The win marks the Bees' third straight conference victory and keeps them unbeaten in league play at 3-0-0, while improving their overall record to 4-4-3.
From the opening whistle, SCAD dictated the pace of play with a composed defensive shape and precise possession in the midfield. The Bees pressed high early, forcing Southeastern into mistakes and creating opportunities in the attacking third.
In the 25th minute, midfielder Leon Grube broke the deadlock when he pounced on a through ball from defender German Moreno, slotting his second goal of the season into the back of the net. The goal energized SCAD's bench and set the tone for the remainder of the first half.
Just six minutes later, the Bees struck again. Grube turned provider, threading a clever pass across the box to Mario Goic, who calmly finished for his eighth goal of the year and a 2–0 SCAD advantage.
The Bees' defensive unit—led by Moreno, Kimi Husler, Tim Rothe, and Paul Brophy—remained rock solid throughout, limiting the Fire to just three total shots and zero shots on goal across the full 90 minutes. Senior goalkeeper Noa Sonntag earned another clean sheet without having to make a save, thanks to the organized back line in front of him.
Southeastern tried to rally after halftime, but SCAD's discipline and ball control stifled any hope of a comeback. The Bees continued to apply pressure, winning six corner kicks and controlling possession deep in Fire territory. Their persistence paid off again in the 76th minute, when a dangerous cross deflected off a Southeastern defender and into the net for an own goal that put the match out of reach at 3–0.
SCAD showed depth off the bench as Magnus Paul, Moritz Prattes, Abraham Balser, and Ben Stephenson all provided fresh legs to close out the game. The team's fitness and cohesion were evident as they maintained a high tempo into the final minutes.
The physical matchup featured three yellow cards for Southeastern, but the Bees remained composed and disciplined throughout, committing just eight fouls compared to SEU's sixteen.
The squad displayed both maturity and motivation, turning last year's painful championship loss into fuel for a complete team performance.
With the victory, SCAD continues to build momentum heading into the heart of the season.
