JACKSON, Tenn. – For the first time in Union's history as an NCAA institution, the women's soccer program has earned a berth in the national tournament and will compete as the 4-seed in the South Region. The Lady Bulldogs head to Pensacola, Florida, to take on 5-seed Nova Southeastern on Friday at 3:00 p.m.

With a win, Union will face GSC Champion and South Region 1-seed West Florida at 3 p.m. on Sunday in the tournament's second round.

Fans can follow Union's matches and the entire tournament by visiting ncaa.com.
 
Nova Southeastern Notes:

• The Sharks, who finished tied for third in the Sunshine State Conference standings with a record of 7-5-4 (4-2-3 SSC), were awarded the South Region's 5-seed.
• NSU fell on PKs to Florida Tech in the SSC title game after defeating 6-seed Eckerd and 2-seed Rollins in the conference tournament's quarterfinal and semifinal matches.
• Union and NSU were scheduled to meet in Jackson on September 13 before the match was canceled due to inclement weather. NSU is 1-1-0 against GSC opponents this season after falling to Mississippi College and defeating West Alabama.
• Overall, the Sharks have allowed 1.50 goals per match (fifth in the SSC) while allowing 1.31 (eighth); this margin of 0.19 is the sixth-highest in the 11-team league.
• In Sunshine State play, the Sharks conceded 1.56 goals per match (eighth in the conference) but scored 1.89 (second) for a third-best margin of 0.33.
• NSU's Alexa Bereczki, with her team-leading six goals, was honored as SSC Freshman of the Year and named to the All-SSC Second Team. Bereczki, a forward who dons #12, scored in the SSC quarterfinal and semifinal matches and boasts five game-winners this season.
• Midfielder Sofia Suarez (#13), a conference first team selection, recorded five goals and two assists. Fellow midfielder Tabea Schutt (#14) earned a spot on the second team with four goals and three assists. Izzy Martinez (#3), a defender, made the All-SSC Third Team.
• Haley Mettrick (#18) and Genesis Hernandez (#29) notched three goals and two assists apiece.
• NSU has blanked and has been blanked four times each this season–most recently on both accounts in the 0-0 pre-penalty kick scoreline with Florida Tech in the SSC Championship. The Sharks, however, have scored three goals in four of their last six games, finding a trio against Palm Beach Atlantic (10/30), Embry-Riddle (11/6), Eckerd (11/8) and Rollins (11/11).

• Union, 10-5-2 overall, finished third in the Gulf South Conference with a league record of 8-2-2. The 4-seeded Lady Bulldogs have secured their first national berth since joining the NCAA in 2012, while 10 wins is the program's most since 2011's 12.
• On November 10, the Lady Bulldogs defeated Delta State 2-0 in the program's first-ever GSC quarterfinal home match. Union then lost the GSC semifinal against Montevallo 5-0.
• Overall, Union has scored 1.65 goals per contest (GSC-fifth) while allowing 1.53 (fourth); this margin of 0.12 is sixth in the conference.
• In Gulf South competition, Union scored 1.83 per match (fourth), conceding just 1.17 (fifth) for a fourth-best margin of 0.66.
• Forwards Rebekah Jackson (#3) and Lucia Revuelto (#11) lead the team with six goals apiece–a mark good for seventh in the conference. Revuelto has tallied seven assists, second only to GSC Player of the Year Mya Swinton.
• Revuelto is joined on the All-GSC Second Team by Irene Arias (#12), a defender who scored her three goals in a single weekend against Valdosta State and Auburn-Montgomery.
• Graduate student Claire Maxon (#14) has three goals and four assists. In total, 12 players have scored for Union.
• Union has shut out six opponents this season and has only been blanked three times. The Lady Bulldogs have scored at least two goals on 10 occasions and three goals four times.
• Josh Alford is in his third year at the program's helm and sports a 22-25-4 record in the role. In 2022, after taking over for a program that had won just 10 total games in the previous four seasons, he finished 4-11-1. Alford then finished 8-9-1 in year two and has continued to improve the squad in year three, as the Lady Bulldogs seek their 11th win.