After a year-long drought of no sports due to COVID-19, the 2021 season resumed sports here at NSU. As fall sport teams’ seasons end, how did each sport’s season go?
Women’s volleyball
The women’s volleyball program, led by coach Brian Rosen and his staff, dominated their season and finished with a 24-5 record. The team, ranked No. 21 by the American Volleyball Coaches’ Association, had a rare blend of youth production and veteran leadership.
Marianna Fiocco, a graduate student and international student from Italy, was selected as a member of the SSC First Team. Elizabeth Price was awarded Second Team All-SSC honors, while also being selected as a member of the All-SSC Freshman Team. Sophomore setter Madison Cook was recognized as a member of the All-SSC Third Team. In addition, the AVCA named Fiocco and graduate student Alex Psoma as First Team All-Region. Price was named as an honorable mention.
The women’s volleyball team takes on Alabama-Huntsville in the first round of the NCAA South Region Tournament. The No. 4 seeded Sharks have more to come in their season.
Men’s soccer
NSU’s men’s soccer team is on a championship run. The team finished the regular season with ten wins, three losses and two draws. After the regular season concluded, senior forward Matty Cornish and junior midfielder Tobias Pellio were named as members of the All-SSC First Team. Junior defender Farid Sar-Sar was named to the All-SSC Second Team.
Despite entering the SSC tournament as the No.4 seed, the Sharks won the tournament with ease, scoring nine goals and allowing just three in their three matches. After the conclusion of the SSC Tournament, Cornish was awarded the tournament’s MVP. Five other players, including Cornish, were named to the All-Tournament team. Their three midfielders, junior Aleks Berg, senior Henrik Berg and freshman Floris Van Nijnanten, were named recognized. In addition, Sar-Sar and graduate student goalkeeper Alberto Ciroi were also named to the team.
The Sharks won their first two matchups in the NCAA-DII Tournament against No. 10 seed Coker and No. 2 seed Palm Beach Atlantic. After their two wins, a matchup with No. 6 seed Chowan awaits them, with a spot in the quarterfinals on the line.
Women’s soccer
The women’s soccer team finished their season with eight wins, seven losses and a draw. For a team with a first-year head coach in Coach James Moore, a fourth-place finish in the conference is a good start. Freshman defender/midfielder Louise Matsgard was named to the All-SSC First Team after scoring a team-high six goals and had two assists. Forward Chama Silva was named to the All-SSC Second Team, knocking in five goals and four assists.
Men’s cross country
The men’s cross-country team ran in four meets during the fall season. The Sharks’ runners had finished sixth out of eight teams in the SSC Conference Championship, though they qualified for the South Regional. In the NCAA South Regional meet, the team finished 15th out of 18th.
Women’s cross country
NSU’s women’s cross-country team had a successful season. The Sharks won two meets against SSC opponents, also finishing second in the Florida Runners Invitational. From a team standpoint, they finished fifth out of seven teams in the SSC Conference Championship. In the South Regional, the team finished seventh out of 18 teams. Individually, Ivanova Yanes had the sixth best time in the SSC Conference Championship. Yanes, a sophomore, finished her 6K in 22 minutes and 40 seconds.
