TEANECK, N.J. – The Fairleigh Dickinson women's soccer team will hold its Senior Day on Sunday afternoon when the team takes on Sacred Heart at 1 p.m. at University Stadium.
 
The game represents the final regular-season match of the 2018 season for the Knights. The contest will be streamed live on NEC Front Row, and live stats will be provided at fduknights.com.
 
ENTERING THE KNIGHT
The Knights (6-8-3, 4-2-1 NEC) are coming off an overtime loss to Saint Francis U last weekend in a rematch of the 2017 NEC championship game. Freshman Isabelle Udovc scored her first career goal to tie the match at 1-1 in the first half, but the Red Flash tallied the golden goal halfway through the first overtime to win the game. The loss snapped a four-game win streak for the Knights.
 
PLAYOFF BERTH CLINCHED
Despite the loss, Fairleigh Dickinson still earned its sixth straight trip to the NEC Tournament next week, earning the bid due to tiebreaker advantages. FDU is now one of six different NEC teams to have made the playoffs in six consecutive seasons. FDU's seed for next week's playoffs is still to be determined, with a win vs. Sacred Heart allowing for a possibility of finishing in second place, while a loss could put the Knights in fourth place. Central Connecticut State has already wrapped up the top seed and will host the NEC Tournament semifinals and championship matches next weekend.
 
ELMA'S DAY
Senior Elma Kolenovic will be one of two Knight seniors honored in a ceremony before Sunday's match. Kolenovic has been a prolific scorer in four seasons for the Knights, racking up 20 goals and 14 assists for a total of 54 points. She currently ranks in the top five in FDU history in all three stat categories (tied for third in goals, third in points, fifth in assists). This season, the senior is tied for the team lead with four assists and has scored two goals for a total of eight points.
 
JULIA'S DAY
Senior Julia Shea will be the second of two Knight seniors honored during Senior Day. A starter on defense in all 17 matches this season, Shea has played all 1,620 possible minutes and has helped the Knights record four shutouts this season. Shea assisted a Kolenovic goal in the victory over LIU Brooklyn on October 12 for her only point of the season. She has two career assists, also helping Kolenovic score a goal last season vs. Rider. The senior has played in 56 games since transferring from UMass after the 2015 season, making 48 starts.
 
SERIES SCORE
FDU leads the all-time series with Sacred Heart, 9-7-3. The Knights have gone unbeaten against the Pioneers in five straight meetings, with two ending in 0-0 draws after two overtime periods. FDU won last season's matchup in Fairfield, 3-1. On an interesting note, there has been a shutout in 12 of the 19 games between the two teams.
 
SCOUTING SACRED HEART
The Pioneers (4-13, 2-5 NEC) are coming into Sunday's match having won a non-conference game vs. Yale, 2-0, on Wednesday, but they have lost each of their previous two NEC games. Sacred Heart is mathematically eliminated from contention for the NEC Tournament, and the game will also represent the final match for the team's 10 seniors. Senior Alex Mesropyan leads the team with eight points (three goals, two assists). Senior Nicole Sambuco has started all but one match in goal for the Pioneers, making 84 saves and allowing 23 goals for a 1.60 goals-against-average in 1,291 minutes.
 
AROUND THE NEC
There are two important NEC matches Friday afternoon that will help determine FDU's seed in the NEC Tournament. First-place CCSU takes on second-place Saint Francis U, while Bryant and Mount St. Mary's clash to see who will earn the fourth and final spot in the tournament. Saint Francis U also plays Wagner on Sunday, and a loss or draw by SFU in each of their remaining matches and a Knights win Sunday would vault the Knights into the second seed. A Knight loss or draw could leave the team in jeopardy of having to face CCSU, who is unbeaten in league play, in their semifinal match next Friday in New Britain.