Panthers Keep it Close
LAKELAND, Fla. (Women’s Soccer) – In another tight game for the Florida Tech Panthers,
the team couldn’t pull it out in the end. Despite a second half goal, the Panthers fell to the Florida Southern Moccasins by a score of 2-1 to put their
record at 5-3 and 0-2 in the Sunshine State Conference.
Florida Southern controlled the ball for much of the first half. The Mocs led the shooting by a margin of 8-5 and in corner kicks, 2-0. In the 11th minute
the Mocs’ Linda Hoglund scored her sixth goal of the season off a cross from Christina Crooks.
Shortly after the goal, the Panthers threatened with a shot from sophomore forward Therese Svensson. Florida Southern
quickly regained control and kept it until half time.
Florida Tech came out of the break with a renewed enthusiasm and threatened early. Sophomore forward Teresa Brantley had a breakaway but
missed wide. Shortly after Svensson was at it again with a sliding shot past the goalkeeper that went just left of the goal.
The Panthers suffered a scare in between the shots by Svensson and Brantley. The Mocs were charging toward goal and were able to put the ball in the net,
but it was called back because Florida Southern was offsides. After that the Panthers were able to apply more offensive pressure but only registered two
more shots on goal.
Off offensive penetration from the Panthers, the Mocs were able to reverse field and send the ball to Florida Tech’s goal. Amy Holsenbeck sent the ball
down the right side and Hoglund was there again. Hoglund put it in to push the score to 2-0.
The Panthers continued to apply pressure and earned a corner kick. After the first from Svensson, the Panthers were able to secure a second corner kick.
Svensson sent it in to see the ball cleared by the Mocs, but sophomore defender Rachel Devlin was there to score off the
rebound from the top of the box.
After that, despite pressure, time ran out on the Panthers. Head coach Fidgi
Haig was proud of his team’s continued display of resiliency. The young team continues to fight back whenever they find themselves down.
However, Haig admits his team is learning lessons a young team must learn. Nine of 14 Panthers that played were freshmen. The remaining six were only
sophomores. Yet the young team competed well against a talented Florida Southern team with a record of 7-2.
“The gap is very small,” Haig said. “I think a little bit of experience can fill that gap and turn this team into something special.”
The Panthers return to action Saturday in the first game of a doubleheader against Rollins College in Melbourne, Fla. at 2 p.m. The men’s team will play at
approximately 4:30 p.m.
