MELBOURNE, Fla. – The Florida Tech women's soccer team exploded for four goals in the first half, and that was all the Panthers needed to secure the first win of the 2024 season.
 
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Final: No. 3 Florida Tech 4, Tiffin 1
Records: No. 3 Florida Tech (1-0-0, 0-0-0 SSC), Lander (0-2-0, 0-0-0 GMAC)
Location: Rick Stottler Field | Melbourne, Fla.
 
STATS OF THE MATCH

• After 10 minutes of back-and-forth with possession, Ximena Jauregui put the first shot on target, but the Tiffin keeper made a diving save to keep the match scoreless.
• Jauregui would keep applying pressure to the Dragons defense and broke through in the 21st minute after fielding a cross into the box from Alice Mottershead and depositing her shot past the keeper to give Tech the 1-0 advantage.
• Just four minutes later, Savannah Oxley sent a long pass up to Marta Llopis who beat her defenders and ripped a shot into the back of the net to push the lead to 2-0.
• The barrage continued as Jauregui notched her second goal of the match in the 27th minute.
• The Panthers held strong on defense and provided another opportunity to score in transition in the 38th minute. Oxley sent another long pass up to Mottershead who made a break for the goal and beat the keeper one-on-one to put Tech on top 4-0.
• Following Mottershead's goal, a lightning delay forced the teams to wait over an hour before resuming the match.
• Just over two minutes into the second half, the Dragons got on the board with their lone shot of the game to make it 4-1.
• Tech's defense buckled down and did not allow another shot from Tiffin for the rest of the match. On the offensive end, the Panthers did not let up, forcing the opposing keeper to make three more saves, but the match ended with a final score of 4-1.

 
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

• In their first ever meeting, Tech moves to 1-0-0 against Tiffin.
• Ximena Jauregui notched a brace in her first match with the Crimson and Gray.
• Alice Mottershead recorded her first collegiate assist and goal.
• Katy Freels earned her first victory as the head coach of the Panthers.

 
UP NEXT: The Panthers will hit the road and take on Flagler on Thursday, Sept. 12. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. in St. Augustine, Fla.
 
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