Florida Tech and Montevallo End in Double Overtime Draw
MELBOURNE, Fla.– Defense was the name of this game. The Florida Tech Panthers (2-3-1) and the University of Montevallo Falcons (1-2-2) were unable to push
a head for the victory tying 1-1 in double overtime in women’s NCAA DII regional soccer action this afternoon at the Stottler Field.
Tech struck first scoring in the 42nd minute of the first half when junior midfielder Miranda Tessier (Vero Beach, Florida) grabbed her fourth assist on
the season after a give and go from senior forward Kelli Huarte (Manteca, California ). Huarte booted the ball past the Falcon’s keeper freshman Corey Gros
(British, Columbia) scoring the first goal for the game. This proved to be Huarte’s six goal of the season.
In the second half, the Falcon’s took immediate action landing there first and only goal in the 48th minute of the match. Montevallo’s leading scorer
senior forward Candice Flow (Montevallo, Alabama) took control off a rebound and broke free from the pack and scored.
Both teams had two golden opportunities in overtime to finish the game in sudden death action. Tech struck in the first overtime when sophomore forward
Erica Hildreth (Cocoa Beach, Florida) out dribbled two defenders to go head to head with the keeper. Hildreth’s shot was rejected on a nice sliding save by
Gros.
Montevallo’s final opportunity came around three minutes left in the match when a corner kick was blocked by Tech’s goal keeper freshman Julie O’Brien
(Franconia, New Hampshire). Falcon’s freshman midfielder Stacey Balaam (Suffolk, England) shot twice only first to be blocked by freshman defender Rachel
Jones (Houston, Texas) and then blocked and cleared by junior defender Rocio Hernandez (Madrid, Spain).
Montevallo out shot Tech 19-7. Gros allowed only one goal and tallied two saves, while O’Brien allowed only one goal and had six saves for the game.
The Panthers will be back in action on Friday, September 23rd on the road facing Embry-Riddle at a 7:00 p.m. match in Daytona Beach.