JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Someone let the Dolphins get hot.

After a slow start to the season, Jacksonville sprinted to the finish line of conference play. The offense was generating plenty of opportunities early, but the ball was hardly finding the back of the net. It wasn't until Oct. 7, in a road match vs UAB, that the offense finally saw one touch nylon. And another one after that. 

From that point on, the Dolphins scored two goals in four-straight matches. The last time the Dolphins scored at least two goals in four consecutive games was the 2020 season, when the team went on to win the ASUN Championship and advance to the first round of the NCAA Tournament. 

That hot offense fueled a run up the ASUN table and to the brink of a playoff spot. But there was another test to go before JU could begin dreaming of another run to a conference crown.

The Dolphins prepared for a de-facto elimination game on the road versus FGCU, needing to continue that same offensive production to secure their spot in the postseason. 

The season finale kicked off strong when Romain Spailer found the back of the net in the 11th minute, followed by an FGCU goal 20 minutes later. For most of the game, the score remained knotted at 1-1 as both teams battled for a final spot in the ASUN Tournament. 

In the 85th minute, under the lights and all of the pressure of the season to that point, Iver Skorve took a pass from Logan Hall and finished it with a header to seal the game. Jacksonville was now the No. 2 seed in the Graphite Division, and the third best team in the ASUN. 

The Dolphins are now set to square off against Lipscomb on Saturday, Nov. 8, at the home site of the first seed, Bellarmine. The last time the two teams faced off was Nov. 2, 2024, when Jacksonville took the edge, 3-2. 

Lipscomb touts a 2-8-6 regular season record, including a 1-2-3 conference ledger. Despite their overall record, the Bisons have also heated up as of late. 

Their last match showcased a dominant 6-1 win over conference foe, Central Arkansas. The three before that included 1-1 draws versus top ASUN sides Bellarmine and Queens and Louisville from the ACC.

The Bisons are led by Levi Jones — brother of former All-ASUN Lipscomb footballer and MLS SuperDraft pick Malachi Jones — who stands atop the team with three goals and eight points, while also leading the team in shots with 29. Jones was named the ASUN Player of the Week on Sept. 2 after a two goal performance versus Mercer.

Lipscomb's sophomore keeper Alex Gara ranks second in the ASUN in saves per game and was named ASUN Goalkeeper of the Week for the last week of the regular season.

Although JU and Lipscomb have not faced off this season, they share three common opponents: 

Jacksonville's relied heavily on its fresh faces, but as the season pushed to crunch time, the veteran leaders stepped up in a major way. Senior Juan Pablo Gonzalez leads the team in points (nine) and goals (four), including a game-winner over Stetson (Oct. 18). Spailer, Skorve and Joshua Izu are all upperclassmen that have scored key goals late down the stretch.

Defensively, the Dolphins senior captain Christian Sekanina has shown his quality as one of the ASUN's best netminders. He finished the regular season with 35 saves and four clean sheets. He also earned Goalkeeper of the Week honors Oct. 6 after a shutout against Stetson. 

Jacksonville enters the 2025 ASUN Tournament after narrowly missing the dance during last year's season. The year before that, JU saw a first round exit after a 2-0 loss to Stetson. The Dolphins will look to add their fourth ASUN Tournament crown in the program's history.

Saturday's tournament opener against the Bisons is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET and will be streamed on ESPN+. The winner of Saturday's match will go on to face Bellarmine two days later on Monday, Nov. 10.  

For a closer look at the bracket, see here.