For the second consecutive year, the University of Tampa drew North Alabama in the first round of the NCAA tournament, and once again the game went into overtime.
This year, however, the Spartans were able to get the best of North Alabama, 1-0. Freshman Lauren Moore headed a ball in the net in the 109th minute for the only goal of the match. Moore scored 1:37 before the game would have gone to penalty kicks.
“This certainly wasn’t our best performance of the year but in the end we will gladly take the win,” said head coach Gerry Lucey. The win was Lucey’s 69th, making him the career leader in wins at UT for women’s soccer.
“It’s a product of team success,” Lucey said on the accomplishment. “Right now we’re just trying to stay focused on who we play next.”
After the emotional victory last Friday, the Spartans earned the right to play Rollins next, in Winter Park.
Tampa beat Rollins 2-0 in the SSC Championship game just seven days earlier.
Tampa won its fifth game in a row, beating Rollins 2-0 once again. That is the second time in a week that the Spartans were able to beat Rollins as the underdog. Rollins has only lost three games all year, two of them coming from Tampa.
Senior Brittan Spence knocked in what proved to be the game winner in the 56th minute and Lauren Moore put the icing on the cake, scoring another goal in the 69th minute.
“It was nice,” Spence said laughing in reference to the huge goal. “Lately I’ve missed several opportunities so it was nice to finish this time. And this was the first time in my four years that we beat Rollins in their own house, it was awesome.”
The Spartans now have their eyes on their next opponent, Lynn University.
“We know how they play and who their strongest players are,” said Spence. “Last year we lost in the Regionals before getting to Quarterfinals and we want to go further this year.”
Tampa has caught fire at the right time. They have won five games in a row, and haven’t allowed a goal in three contests. Much of that has to do with goaltender Emelie Karstrom.
“I don’t really care about statistics,” Karstrom said. “I believe in what we’re doing right now, we’re really working together well.”
“The defense has been great,” said Lucey. “Collectively, we’re not giving other teams too many good looks at the goal; the girls are getting their bodies in the way. I am very pleased with what they’ve been doing defensively.”
When a team wins five post season games in a row, it would be easy to get overconfident.
“We are confident but not overconfident,” Lucey said. “We split with Lynn this year, but we dominated them in shots both games. We know we have the ability to beat them. Any of the girls who played on the team last year know that at this point last season we dominated a Florida Tech team that beat us in penalty kicks.”
Lauren Moore has scored in the past three games, and the Spartans could definitely use another great performance from her against Lynn.
“Lauren is a very smart player,” said Lucey. “She has the ability to read the ball, and she heads the ball very well. We try and find her in set pieces.”
The Spartans will square off with Lynn this Friday at 1:30 P.M. in Savannah, Georgia, with hopes to move on to the Quarterfinals.
John Hilsenroth can be reached at minaret.sports@gmail.com.