Florida Tech Womens Soccer Team Proves Victorious in First Round of 2006 SSC Championships
WINTER PARK, Fla.- (women’s soccer). For the first time in the four year old program, Florida Tech (8-4-5) makes it to the semi-finals in the Sunshine State Conference Women’s Soccer Tournament. The #5 seeded Panthers out-played the #4 seeded Rollins College Tars (10-5-3) tonight in the first round battle taking the game to a scoreless first overtime. In sudden death action, Florida Tech’s junior forward Ericka Hildreth (Satellite Beach, Fla.) netted the game winner at the 96th minute.
Both teams had so much to win and so much to lose in the sudden death overtime championship action, with Tech finally proving victorious in the first overtime. The Panthers who have seen six tied scores this season and nine overtime periods grabbed their first win in non-regulation playing time.
Hildreth, who received the glory for the goal, compiling only her fourth goal this season had help from two of the squad’s seniors. The initial pass was from defender Jenn Dunn (Vero Beach, Fla.), who dribbled the ball forward on the left flank past the midfield. Dunn then proceeded to find midfielder Tara Euginedes (Dade City, Fla.) in the middle. Euginedes flicked the ball to the 18 yard mark where Hildreth was open for the first goal and game winner.
“I couldn’t have done it without the team…it was a total team effort and everyone was working hard,” stated Hildreth. “Finishing the battle was the easy job, everyone else worked hard to make it happen.”
Head Coach Fidgi Haig did not substitute the entire 96 minutes, which was the third game recently having the entire starting-eleven play more than ninety minutes. Haig and the program also reached their best four-year record with their eighth win.
“This really was an even match and Florida Tech caught the break in the end,” stated Coach Haig. “Rollins played an attractive game with some outstanding players, but our seniors were playing their best game of their careers and were not going to lose.”
#5 Florida Tech, with the upset, will face the host #1 University of Tampa at 7:00 p.m. on Friday in Tampa. The earlier game will match #2 seeded Saint Leo University and #3 seeded Nova Southeastern. The top two seeds had the bye today and the NSU sharks defeated the #6 Lynn 2-1 tonight down in Ft. Lauderdale to advance to the semi-finals.
Last year, the 2005 SSC Soccer Tournament was cancelled due to hurricane issues, so this year is the first time that the six team format was brought to fruition. The Sunshine State Conference Tournament on the women’s side is only three year’s old, the Panthers played in the eight team tournament in 2004 where the fell in the first round to the #3 seeded Saint Leo 2-1.
To View the SSC Standings:
http://www.sunshinestateconference.com/wsocmain.html
To review the complete Women’s Tournament release:
http://www.sunshinestateconference.com/0607/wsoctourn06.pdf
To Download the Current Bracket:
http://www.sunshinestateconference.com/0607/06socbracket.pdf
Soccer Game Summary (Final)
2006 Florida Tech Women’s Soccer
#5 Florida Tech vs #4 Rollins (10/25/06 at Winter Park, Fla)
Florida Tech (8-4-5, 2-2-4) vs. Rollins (10-5-3, 3-2-3)
Date: 10/25/06 Attendance: 210
Weather: Cool night
Goals by period 1 2 OT Tot
———————————-
Florida Tech…….. 0 0 1 – 1
Rollins…………. 0 0 0 – 0
SCORING SUMMARY:
1. 100:43 FTW Ericka Hildreth (4) (Tara Euginedes;Jennifer Dunn)
Shots: Florida Tech 15, Rollins 20
Saves: Florida Tech 9 (Melissa Pyles 8; TEAM 1), Rollins 9 (Stephanie
Woelfel 9)
#5 Florida Tech defeats #4 Rollins in first round of 2006
SSC Women’s Soccer Tournament—Semifinals #5 Florida Tech
will face #1 Tampa on 10/27/06 at 7:00 p.m. at Tampa
