WINTER PARK, Fla. – Florida Tech had to overcome weather delays and lack of depth in its matchup with SSC rival Rollins. Despite the challenges, the Panthers found their groove in the second half and were able to put some fear in the No. 2 Tars before eventually falling 9-7 late Saturday night at Barker Family Stadium.
Sam Schiano led Tech with a hat trick, four ground balls, four draw controls and two caused turnovers. It is the ninth time this season that Schiano has scored at least three goals in a game.
Kailee O'Brien scored two goals while
Lexi Woviotis and
Caroline MacLeod each tallied a goal.
Leah Dunn finished with two assists.
Olivia Going guided the Panther defense with three ground balls and two caused turnovers.
Chloe Zador had the best game of her Florida Tech career Saturday night and kept the Panthers in it against the No. 2 team in the nation. Not only did the junior goaltender hold the Tars to a season-low nine goals, but Zador also set a new career-high with 17 saves in the game. Her total is one shy of tying
Stephanie Stuart's record of 18 saves.
Rollins controlled the first half of Saturday's matchup. The Tars recorded the first three goals of the game, and six of the first seven, and carried a 6-1 advantage into halftime.
Woviotis provided the Panthers' lone goal in the first half, her seventh of the season, on an unassisted effort with 9:18 to go in the frame.
A few minutes into the second stanza, the skies opened up on both teams and lightning came up in the distance on the radar. At that point, the game went into weather delay with 26:50 to go.
Following the delay, the teams retook the field and it seemed as though the Panthers were more energized out of the stoppage.
MacLeod got Tech's run started with a free position goal at the 21:53 mark of the half to make the score 6-2. The Tars answered with consecutive goals less than a minute apart to push their advantage to 8-2 with under 18 minutes to go on the clock.
However, three straight possessions and three straight goals for the Panthers had them back in the game. Schiano and O'Brien scored a pair of unassisted goals, then Schiano found the back of the net off an assist from Dunn, and the Panthers had cut the deficit down to 8-5 with 13:48 remaining.
Kallie German's goal with 12:15 to go increased the Tars' lead to 9-5. But Schiano then scored another unassisted tally to make it a three-goal game. Dunn then fed O'Brien for her second goal of the game to cut the margin to two with 4:07 left.
With time running down the Tars stepped up and shut down the Panthers, not allowing Tech to produce a quality possession the rest of the game. Rollins eventually ran out the clock and sent the Crimson & Gray to their fourth straight defeat.
The Tars ended with an edge in shots (35-19), ground balls (24-21) and draw controls (10-8). The Panthers struggled on clears against Rollins, going 16-of-28 in the game.
Florida Tech is back in action next Wednesday, Apr. 10, hosting Palm Beach Atlantic in SSC action at Panther Stadium. Opening draw for the contest is set for 7 p.m.
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