Box Score
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Rollins College manufactured a pair of goals in the second half against the upset-minded Eckerd College women's soccer program on Wednesday, finishing off a come-from-behind victory at the Turley Athletic Complex, 2-1.
The Tars (9-4-1, 6-1 SSC) took control of the driver's seat at the top of the Sunshine State Conference standings by overtaking the University of Tampa as the regular season winds down to a close.
The Tritons (7-5-2, 3-4-1 SSC) dropped their third straight league contest dating back to close defeats against Florida Southern College and Nova Southeastern University.
Eckerd went into the night in a three-way tie for fourth in the Sunshine State Conference standings with Florida Southern and Lynn University.
Senior defender
Dana Treat scored her sixth goal of the season for the Tritons off a well-executed throw-in that senior
Emily Johnson played through the box for a go-ahead score in the 31st minute.
Johnson earned her first assist of the season on the Treat goal. Eckerd held strong defensively until halftime and kept the Tars on their heels as the second half wore on.
But the Rollins offense started to click as it scored in the 59th and 65th minutes to overcome the first-half deficit. The Tars struck on a penalty kick and a long 25-yard boot that was buried in the top right corner of the net.
After a foul was whistled on the outside of the box, RC's Anita Cox pushed a shot by EC sophomore goalkeeper
Morgan Crescent for the equalizer. Crescent picked the right direction going to her left against Cox, but the ball zipped inside the far post.
For Cox, it marked her third goal of the fall -- all coming on penalty kick conversions.
With the score knotted up at 1-1, Rollins found the net six minutes later off the boot from Taylor Thigpen for the eventual game winner.
Again, Crescent had a bead on the ball heading towards the final path, but was just out of her reach.
Rollins kept the Tritons off the scoreboard for the remainder of regulation to close out the regular-season sweep.
Tonight's match was a stark contrast from the tough loss Rollins put on Eckerd in Winter Park earlier this season in non-conference action. After the Tars handed EC a 6-2 defeat on Sept. 12, the Tritons gave their SSC nemesis a scare in the second meeting.
Rollins finished with 14 shots on the night compared to Eckerd's three.
The Tritons continue their four-game homestand this Friday against Ave Maria University, recognizing breast cancer awareness with their “Kick For A Cure” initiative. Eckerd and the Gyrenes will get underway at 7 p.m.
