LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The Bellarmine University women's soccer team will hope to keep the magic alive at the FGCU Soccer Complex when the Gold Division four-seed Knights square off with Graphite Division three-seed North Florida at 1 p.m. (ET) in the ASUN Championship semifinals.

Bellarmine (11-5-3) and North Florida (8-8-4), who have never previously met in the postseason, both pulled off upsets in the quarterfinals. On Thursday, the Knights defeated Graphite Division one-seed FGCU 3-1, while the Ospreys topped Gold Division two-seed Eastern Kentucky 1-0.

Although Bellarmine and North Florida did not meet in the regular season — the ASUN instituted intra-divisional play only this year — the Ospreys own a 2-0-2 series lead over the Knights, including a 2-0 win last season in Jacksonville.

Bellarmine is hoping to continue a recent theme against ASUN teams. The Knights were 0-6-2 against then-ASUN-unbeaten Lipscomb when they defeated the Bisons 2-1 on Oct. 22, a massive win in their late-season surge to a postseason berth. BU was 0-4-1 against FGCU before its quarterfinal triumph over the Eagles. Now the Knights face a North Florida squad they've never beaten in their quest to make their first-ever appearance in the ASUN title game.

Allie Fekany's sixth goal of the season with exactly five minutes remaining lifted North Florida to the 1-0 quarterfinal win over Eastern Kentucky. Isabella Pontieri is among the ASUN's most prolific playmakers, ranking first in the conference in assists (nine), fourth in total points (25) and sixth in goals (eight).

KNIGHTS NOTES
• Thursday's win over FGCU was Bellarmine's first ever in the ASUN Championship. The Knights had previously advanced twice, but both instances came in PK shootouts after what were officially classified as draws.
• One of the aforementioned occasions BU advanced in PKs came in 2021, when the Knights pulled off the first of what is now two stunners against FGCU in ASUN Championship play. West Division four-seed BU eliminated the East Division one-seed Eagles 4-3 in PKs after a 1-1 stalemate. The Knights edged Austin Peay 4-3 in PKs after a 1-1 draw in the first round last year.
• Bellarmine defeated an FGCU squad that went 8-1-1 in ASUN play and was riding an eight-game unbeaten streak that included seven victories by two or more goals.
• Bellarmine has advanced to the semifinals for the second time (also 2021).
• In Bellarmine's first season under Steve Bornhoffer, the Knights have more than doubled their previous D1-era program record for wins (11, up from five). Their seven road wins this season are more than the six the program compiled from 2020-24 combined. The team's nine-game unbeaten streak to start 2025 is also a program record.
• McKenzie Carle recorded a goal and an assist against FGCU. The sophomore forward's 10 goals are a D1-era single-season program record and are tied for third in the ASUN. The reigning ASUN Freshman of the Year is already the program's D1-era leader in career goals (16). Her 24 points this season rank fifth in the conference.
• Senior forward Lucy von Stefenelli has six goals overall this season and is tied for third in the ASUN with four game-winners, including the one against FGCU in the quarterfinals.
• Sophomore midfielder Brynn Severance landed Bellarmine's first blow against FGCU, locating the net in the 14th minute for her second goal of the year.

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