Da Silva, Davis have strong connection on the soccer field

Darien Davis and Nathali Da Silva are not quite sure when or how it started, but the pair have a sort of sixth sense on the soccer field.

"I really can't explain it, but we just look at each other and just know what the other is going to do," Da Silva said.

The combination has helped the Eastern Florida State College women's soccer team to an unbeaten 6-0 conference season and a 11-2 overall record heading into the Region 8 Conference Championship game Sunday evening.

"Nat is amazing, she knows where to place the ball exactly where I am running, all we do is just look at each other, as soon as we make eye contact I know to go and she knows where to put the ball," Davis said. "All I have to do is look at her, when she looks up I know I have to get on the horses and start running, she lays me a beautiful ball and I just have to finish it."

And she has done that well, leading the conference with 14 goals. Da Silva is right with her with 12 goals and each have seven assists.

The duo has found a lot of success for just being together for a little more than three months as Davis came to Eastern Florida State College as a sophomore from Florida Gulf Coast University and Da Silva is a freshman from Montverde Academy.

"When the (regular) season really started, we just started having a chemistry together. We always make that joke, we don't even really look at each other and I know she is going to be there," Da Silva said. "We always say to each other, you pass to me, I pass back and we go. And Buns (Bunny Shaw) is right there with us."

And as they head into the postseason, the focus is on making that connection even stronger as the games get bigger.

"We have played all these games together now and I know her game really well. I just have to know when to make that run and it has clicked," Davis said. "Hopefully it will continue to work through the postseason."