MELBOURNE, Fla. – The Florida Tech women's soccer team begins the NCAA Tournament on Friday, November 19 at 1 p.m. against Mississippi College.
 
Florida Tech enters as the No. 5 seed in the South Region while MC is the No. 4 seed. The contest will be played at Lee University's Ray Conn Sports Complex in Cleveland. Tenn. This will be the first ever meeting between the Panthers and Choctaws. 
 
The winner of Friday's match will face South Region No. 1 seed Lee on Sunday afternoon. 
 
The Panthers are making their seventh NCAA tournament appearance and the first since 2017. Tech has a 10-3-5 record and went 4-2-4 in Sunshine State Conference play this season to finish sixth in the SSC standings during the regular season. 
 
The Crimson & Gray defeated Nova Southeastern (1-0) and No. 22 Palm Beach Atlantic in the first two rounds of the tournament before falling 1-0 in the championship to top-seed, No. 14 Embry-Riddle (who earned the No. 2 seed in the South Region). Prior to the loss to ERAU, the Panthers were riding a 10-game unbeaten streak (7-0-3). 
 
The Choctaws earned a berth into the NCAA tournament for the fourth consecutive season. MC has a record of 12-4-1 on the season and were 10-3 in Gulf South Conference action to finish second in the league standings. MC dropped its GSC first round matchup to West Alabama in penalty kicks.
 
Tech and MC have faced three common opponents in 2021, Rollins, Auburn-Montgomery, and Montevallo. The Panthers defeated AUM (4-1) and Montevallo (1-0) on the road to open the season and drew with Rollins 0-0. The Choctaws won all three matches, earning 4-1 victories over AUM and Montevallo and a 2-1 win over Rollins. 
 
The Panthers feature one of the staunchest defenses in the nation in 2021, allowing just nine goals over 18 games this season, good for eighth in Division II and first in the SSC. Tech also ranks 11th in the nation in goals against average (.467) and 23rd in total shutouts (10) and shutout percentage (.556). Florida Tech held SSC opponents to just five goals all season and outscored all opponents 19-9. 
 
The Panther defense is led by a pair of All-SSC First Teamers in JoJo Michaels and Maria Sanchez Recuero in goal. Michaels, along with line mates Jeeda Al-Naber, Hanna Maansson and Emily Swope, started all 18 games for Florida Tech this season. Sanchez Recuero started 16 games and ranks 13th in the nation in goals against average (.463 goals), 15th in goals allowed (8), 17th in saves percentage (.869), and 18th in shutouts (9). 
 
A pair of All-SSC Second Team selections in Marem Ndiongue and Mayara Queiroz Reis carried the Panther offense in 2021, combining for 10 of the team's 19 goals this season and nine of the squad's 13 assists. The duo has come on strong as of late, accounting for eight of the Panthers' last 10 goals during the team's late season and SSC Tournament run.  
 
Mississippi College also bolsters a strong defense, allowing just 14 goals in 17 games, while also ranking 30th in Division II with 44 total goals scored.  
 
MC's leading scorer, Beatrice Currie, was an All-GSC First Team selection and has nine goals and three assists on the season, while Holly Pascoe leads the Choctaws in assists with seven to go along with five goals. Avery Hederman has six goals and four assists on the year on the way to being named a first team honoree along with Emily McNair who tallied a goal and three assists at midfield. The Choctaw's Emma Young was named GSC Defensive Player of the Year in 2021. 
 
Live coverage links for Friday's contest, along with the tournament home page, can be found in the links above as well as on Florida Tech's schedule page. 
 
Tickets can be purchased at the gates, $10 for adults and $5 for students, senior citizens, and children ages 2-12. Children under the age of 2 receive free admission to game. 
 
For the latest news, updates and information on the Florida Tech women's soccer team, visit FloridaTechSports.com. Fans can also stay up to date on the latest Panthers news by following Florida Tech Athletics on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.