2009 Season Review

The 2009 season was an up and down season for the Fire.

The Fire made a nice post season run in the NCCAA II National Tournament as the tournament's No. 5 seed.

Southeastern defeated No. 4 seed Lancaster Bible College in round one, overcoming a two goal deficit in the second half to win, 3-2, in overtime.

In round two, Southeastern took down No. 1 seed Providence College, 2-1, avenging a loss to Providence in the 2008 NCCAA II National Tournament.

In the championship game, the Fire took on South Region rival Clearwater Christian College. Weeks prior, the Cougars defeated Southeastern, 1-0, in the South Region Championship game.

The All-South Region National Championship game did not disappoint, as the Cougars narrowly defeated the Fire, 2-1, in overtime on an incredible goal by Clearwater captain and South Region Player of the Year, Tyler Spraul.

It was Southeastern's third NCCAA II National Championship game appearance, and the second time in three years the Fire lost in overtime of the championship game. Southeastern went 11-3 versus NCCAA opponents and finished second nationally. SEU has finished in the top four nationally the past four seasons.

Southeastern finished the year with an 11-12 overall record.

This year's season was a historical year for the Fire, as they joined the NAIA's Sun Conference. while also saying goodbye to the NCCAA's Division II. Despite going 0-9 in the Sun Conference, the Fire battled and competed in the conference losing four games by just one goal.

Now beginning in 2010, Fire Head Coach Drew Stacey will begin giving scholarships to his players as the Fire leaves the NCCAA II affiliation. SEU will still compete in the NCCAA, but now on the division one level.

Three seniors will leave the program this year. Matt LoPresti, Jonathan Vincent, and John Peter Louine were all members of Southeastern 2006 NCCAA II National Championship team.

LoPresti was a Second Team All-American in 2008 while Vincent and Louine have been pivotal players to the Fire's success over recent years.

Since Stacey took over the Fire in 2004, he helped guide Southeastern to a 49-7-2 record versus NCCAA II schools with four South Region Championships and the 2006 NCCAA II National Title.