Box Score FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The Nova Southeastern University women's soccer team fell in their home Sunshine State Conference opener to Florida Tech, 4-3, Wednesday night at the NSU Soccer Complex.
The Sharks (3-3-0, 0-2-0 SSC) were forced to play catch-up most of the match, as Heather Williams was an offensive force for the Panthers (4-4-1, 1-1-0 SSC), scoring her first of three goals in the fourth minute off an assist from Courtney Hueston.
NSU would tie it up 10 minutes later, when in the 14th,
Agnes Holmquist (Fr., Borlänge, Sweden) headed in her first collegiate goal off of a corner from
Julia Nytorp (Jr., Örnsköldsvik, Sweden). That 1-1 score would stand into the half, but FIT came out firing in the second with two quick goals and would never relinquish the lead.
The first, which would turn out to be the game-winner, came in the 53rd minute courtesy of a penalty kick from Hueston that went above the outstretched hands of
Amanda Kopale (R-So., Cape Coral, Fla.) hit the crossbar, and fell straight down to the goal line. The second was Williams' second goal, in the 60th, with the assist going to Ashley Vezina on a long pass over the top.
The Sharks breathed life just 70 seconds later on a beautiful corner by
Stephanie Moench (Jr., Austin, Texas), headed away from FIT goalkeeper Julia Kantor by redshirt junior
Sierra Lelii (Seminole, Fla.) for her sixth goal of the year, cutting the Panther lead to 3-2.
The score stayed that way until the 88th minute when Williams put the icing on the cake by completing her hat trick, a breakaway against the Sharks' second goalkeeper,
Jordan Lentz (Fr., Fort Myers, Fla.).
Though the Sharks would cut it to one, unfortunately, it came with just 13 seconds remaining. A great long pass ahead by
Victoria Pecci (So., Oswego, Ill.), found the foot of Nytorp, who placed it past Kantor and into the back of the net. From there, the Panthers would run out the clock to secure their first conference win of the year.
The Sharks took two more shots than the Panthers, 10-8, but FIT was extremely efficient, with their four goals coming on five shots on target. Six of the Sharks' 10 fell into that category. Kantor picked up the victory by saving three NSU goal attempts.
Next up for NSU is another road trip, this time to Lakeland, Florida, to take on Florida Southern on Saturday. Kickoff is 4:30 p.m. against the so-far undefeated Mocs, 4-0-3 coming into Wednesday night's matchup against Rollins.
For the latest NSU news and results, be sure to visit
www.NSUSharks.com. To have results sent directly to your cell phone via text message, sign up for SMS text message delivery by
clicking here. For the latest news, be sure to sign up for the Shark Alert E-newsletter by
clicking here.
