NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Jacksonville University women's soccer team makes its second straight appearance in the Atlantic Sun Tournament Thursday, Oct. 30, against the North Alabama Lions.

Jacksonville, owning the #2 seed in the Graphite Division, will pit itself against the #3 Gold Division Lions for the chance to advance to the Atlantic Sun Semifinals Sunday, Nov. 2. 

Kickoff for Thursday's game is set for 7 p.m. EST and the game will be streamed on ESPN+.

If JU advances past North Alabama (8-5-5, 4-3-3) it will play the winner of #1 Lipscomb and #4 Queens.

Thursday's game will be just the sixth matchup all time between JU and UNA, with North Alabama leading the all-time series 3-2. However, in the team's most recent meeting last year in Florence, Ala., the Dolphins posted a 2-0 mid-October shutout. The pair of goals were scored by former Dolphin standout Logan Gonzales.

The name of the game for this year's UNA team is defense, as the Lions are allowing less than one goal per game this season. North Alabama finished the year with a 1-0 shutout win over Central Arkansas. Throughout the entire season, UNA posted eight scoreless matchups including three in conference play with two coming against UCA.

Lion netminder Madison Vukas is a stud between the pipes as she leads the conference in regular season shutouts with eight. The 96 saves Vukas has posted through the year is third in the ASUN and second most all-time for UNA in a single season. With two saves Thursday, Vukas will become the all-time single season saves leader for UNA as a Division 1 program.

Leading the Lions offensively is graduate forward Alice Bussey and her team-best five goals. Bussey scored her first conference goal of the season in her team's 1-0 regular season finale after taking five shots for the second time all year. The penalty kick goal Bussey scored over the Bears secured UNA's spot in the postseason. 

Meg Welsh is behind Bussey with three goals. Three Lions have scored two goals individually this season. 

Jacksonville is back in the postseason for the second consecutive year. Last season, the Dolphins made the postseason in head coach Ryan Moon's first year but fell in the Quarterfinals to EKU after a back-and-forth penalty shootout. Making consecutive postseason trips is a first for the women's soccer program since the 2016 and 2017 seasons.

Moon has also drastically increased his win total from his first season at the helm to his second. In Year 1, Moon and company went 4-10-4 and 3-6-2 in conference. By winning six conference games this season, Moon became just the second coach in program history to increase his conference win total by three or more games from his first year to his second.

The team's nine total wins are the most in a single season since 2014.

For more information regarding the ASUN Tournament, visit the Championship Hub HERE. Live stats for Thursday's game can be viewed HERE. Watch Thursday's game on ESPN+ HERE.