Box Score
WINTER PARK, Fla. – Brenna McKee and Ali Schrader each scored as No. 1 seed Rollins College ended a remarkable run for the fifth-seeded Eckerd College women's soccer program in the semifinals of the Florida Blue Sunshine State Conference Championship on Friday evening, 2-0.
McKee, the league's Offensive Player of the Year, and Schrader, an Honorable Mention All-SSC pick, provided the firepower necessary for the Tars (12-4-1 overall) to move on to the championship final.
On Sunday, Rollins will face the University of Tampa, victors against Florida Southern College earlier today in the other semifinal bout.
The Tritons (10-7-3 overall) fell just short in their third meeting of the season against the rival Tars after pulling a quarterfinal upset against No. 4 Nova Southeastern University on Tuesday in Fort Lauderdale.
Eckerd was making the program's first-ever appearance in the conference tournament, closing the chapter on arguably the finest season in school history.
Eckerd had a surprise guest appearance from London Olympic gold medalist Heather Mitts, who graced the team with her presence in the locker room for a pregame and halftime speech.
Mitts was a former teammate of EC Head Coach
Danielle Fotopoulos when they attended the University of Florida together.
For Fotopoulos, the strides her program has taken this season should have Eckerd on everyone's radar for next fall.
“I'm extremely excited about the direction of the program and how they all worked and stuck together,” Fotopoulos said. “It was a fun year and this is a great group of girls. It was an honor for me to coach them this year.”
McKee's 10th goal of the season broke a scoreless tie in the first half and the score would hold steady until the intermission.
With the Tritons looking to break through against strong Rollins defense anchored by SSC Defensive Player of the Year, Anita Cox, the Tars dealt the final blow at the 80:49 juncture off the foot of Schrader.
Rollins finished with 19 shots compared to nine managed by the Tritons.
Second Team All-SSC sophomore goalkeeper
Morgan Crescent, coming off a 19-save effort against Nova Southeastern, recorded eight stops in net against Rollins.
The Tritons finished with a 3-4-1 record in SSC play during the regular season, ending a near six-year drought without a conference win. EC won three straight conference games to help earn the fifth seed in the Florida Blue SSC Championship.
