MELBOURNE, Fla.-  The Florida Tech women's basketball program recorded its second conference win of the season in a thrilling matchup at home against Lynn University on Saturday evening in the team's annual Play4Kay game. A huge fourth quarter propelled the Panthers past the Fighting Knights 61-56.

INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
Final: Florida Tech 61, Lynn 56
Records: Florida Tech (7-18, 2-12 SSC) | Lynn (12-10, 7-7 SSC)
Location: Clemente Center | Melbourne, Fla. 


FIRST QUARTER 

• To start the game, both teams would start off cold as neither would score until just under three minutes into the quarter before the Panthers started to heat up going on a 9-0 run against Lynn.
• The Panther's run was highlighted by five points from a three followed by a layup from Sarah Liberatore.
• Lynn wouldn't score until 3:22 remaining in the quarter as Marianna Klavina made Lynn's first basket off a layup.
• As Tech led 9-2 with 3:22 to play, the Panthers continued to shoot the ball well against the Fighting Knights outscoring them 4-3 in the final three minutes to take a 13-5 at the end of the first.
• Tai Roberts would make a layup as Liberatore would score off a buzzer-beating two-point jump shot from the corner with Divine Guthrie assisting on the play, passing the ball from half-court to end the quarter.

 
SECOND QUARTER

• 16 seconds into the second quarter, Guthrie would be sent to the line and convert both free throw attempts on a personal foul by Ella Fiore who would then go down and score a jumper from inside the arch to make it 15-7.
• Emily Acampora would get her first three of the contest a minute later with an assist from Liberatore to put Tech up 18-7.
• Both teams would go scoreless for the next two minutes before Kyandra Poitier converted both her free throw attempts to put Tech ahead by 13.
• Over the next three minutes Lynn would go 4-4 at the free throw line before Jessica Lange would make a layup with 3:05 to play.
• Lynn would go on a 7-0 run to cut its deficit to five points with the Panthers still in charge, 22-17.
• Following a two-point field goal from Guthrie with 1:24 to play, Lynn would score the final points of the half for either team as Klavina went 2-2 at the Line to make it 24-19 in Florida Tech's favor.

 
THIRD QUARTER 

• Lynn would get the early score 20 seconds into the half to make it a three-point game, 24-21 until Liberatore would go 1-2 at the free throw to make it 25-21.
• As the Panthers would go 3-4 at the line, a seven-point run by the Fighting Knights would tie it up 28-28 highlighted by Makayla Hemingway's game-tying three-point shot highlighting the run.
• With 4:09 left in the quarter, Poitier would convert an and one attempt to put Tech back up by three, 31-28.
• Scoring four in a row, Lynn would take its first lead of the game 32-31 before Liberatore's two-point jumper allowed Tech to regain the lead 33-32.
• Channing Chappell would knock down a three to put Lynn ahead by two 35-33 until Liberatore's game-tying jumper from inside the paint would end the quarter and make the contest all tied 35-35 heading into the final quarter.

 
FOURTH QUARTER

• Tech would get the fourth quarter started going 3-4 at the line to break the tie and lead 38-35.
• Fiore would score Lynn's first basket of the fourth 2:55 in before Tai Roberts would take the ball to score and give Tech the 40-37 lead.
• Another field goal from Fiore would make it 40-39 in the close contest as both teams would trade points yet again to keep it a one-point contest, 42-41, Florida Tech.
• as Lynn would gain the lead 44-43 with 4:19 to play, the Panthers would go on to score eight unanswered points to pull ahead 51-44 highlighted by five points from Acampora.
•  Soon after Two baskets from Lynn would bring it back to a three-point contest, 51-48 with 1:18 to play.
• Liberatore's successful layup followed by a free throw basket from Poitier would put the Panthers ahead by two scores, 54-48.
• Ahead 55-50, Liberatore's successful free throw attempt would make it a two-score lead again, 56-50 as the Panthers would lead with 28 seconds to play.
• After the foul Olivia Stephens would knock down two shots at the line before Kavina of Lynn would sink a three with 13 seconds as the Panthers would lead 58-55.
• In the final five seconds of the contest Tech would go 3-4 at the line with Lynn going 1-2 to give the Panthers the 61-56 victory over the Fighting Knights.
• The Panthers big fourth quarter was put together outscoring Lynn 26-21.

 
NOTABLE PANTHERS:

• Sarah Liberatore recorded a season-best 20 points against Lynn going 6-11 in field goals and 1-2 from behind the three-point line.
• Kyandra Poitier scored a career-best 17 points and nine free throws made.
• Emily Acampora led the team with two threes' going 2-4 in three-point field goals along with a team-high seven rebounds, six defensive and one offensive.
• Tai Roberts was dishing it out as her four assists were the most of any other Panther in this evening's win.
• Jessica Lange's three blocks were the most of any player on the court from either team.

 
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE:

• Florida Tech improves to 33-24 all-time and 18-10 at home against the Fighting Knights.
• It is the Panther's first win against Lynn since February 1, 2020, which occurred in Boca Raton, and the Panther's first win at home against the Fighting Knights since November 29, 2017.
• Florida Tech shot 35.3% (18-51) in field goals, 50.0% (3-6) from beyond the arch and converted 62.9% (8-17) at the free throw line.
• Lynn finished with a field goal percentage of 38.9% (21-54), and shot 25.0% (5-20) in threes while making 64.3% (9-14) of its free throw attempts.

 
UP NEXT:
The Panthers will return home on Wednesday, February 14^th as they take on Palm Beach Atlantic in an SSC Matchup at the Clemente Center with tipoff scheduled for 5:30 PM.

For the latest news, updates, and information on Florida Tech women's basketball, 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.