Women's Soccer | 11/9/2018 4:15:00 PM

MIAMI SHORES, Fla.— The second-seeded Barry Buccaneers play host to the Choctaws of Mississippi College on Sunday in the NCAA Division II Women's Soccer South Region Tournament Championship at Buccaneer Field. 

The Buccaneers earned a bye in the first round after being seeded second in the region, while Mississippi College dispatched Nova Southeastern on Friday 3-0 at Buccaneer Field to advance.

INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Records: #2 Barry (16-0-1, 9-0-1 SSC); #3 Mississippi College (15-3-0, 12-1-0 GSC)
All-Time Series: First-ever meeting

The teams were scheduled to meet earlier this year in Memphis, Tenn., at Signaigo Field at Christian Brothers, but were rained out. The teams have five common opponents this season: Saint Leo, Tampa, Christian Brothers, West Georgia and Nova Southeastern. The Bucs have gone a combined 6-0-1 in those games, while MC is 4-1-0. 

The Bucs are ranked ninth in the current United Soccer Coaches poll, their ninth straight week in the top-10, heading into the game. The Choctaws clock in at #20.

The Bucs, who won both the regular season and tournament titles in the Sunshine State Conference, lead the SSC in goal differential at +2.53 per game, thanks in large part to a dominant defense that features five senior starters. Keeper Melanie Zeigner is the conference leader in goals against average, allowing just 0.27. She has eight solo shutouts in just 17 games, which is also tops, as is her 90.5 save percentage. The quartet of Jade Adams, Alyssa Lugo, Brittany Larosa and Yanni Asson, in addition to holding the opponents just under three shots on goal per game, have added a goal and six assists. The Bucs also lead the league in offense behind seniors Christy Grimshaw and Molly Sharpe at 2.82 goals per game. The duo rank first and second in the league in goals, assists and points. Grimshaw leads the way with 16 goals and 44 points, while Sharpe has 14 goals and 40 points. They are tied atop the league with 12 assists each and each has six game-winners. Grimshaw (Player), Sharpe (Offensive Player) and Adams (Defensive Player) swept the major awards for the conference this season, the first time a school has done so with three different players.

The Choctaws finished second in the regular season to Gulf South Conference champs West Florida, but were bounced in the GSC quarterfinals 1-0 by Montevallo. MC enters the contest only allowing 10 goals through 18 matches, which was good enough to post the Gulf South Conference's second lowest goals against average of (.56). All-GSC First-Team Selection Gaylynn Cooper and All GSC Second-Team Selections Liza Wise and Gabby Kayser have helped lead a Lady Choctaw defense that has posted nine shutouts on the year. Senior Lauren Smith paced the team with seven goals this season. Juniors Emma Claire Furman and Katie Taylor were right behind Smith notching five goals of their own. MC as a team has netted 34 goals in 2018.

The winner of the game advances to the regional final next week. The game will be played at the highest remaining seed in the South Region next Friday, Nov. 16. Announcement of the game will be on NCAA.com