Box Score
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Freshman defender
Michelle Spesshardt elevated over the defense to punch in the game-winning header as the surging Eckerd College women's soccer program manufactured two goals in a near 12-minute span to stun Barry University on Saturday night, 2-1.
After collecting their first Sunshine State Conference win to break a 46-match drought earlier this week against Saint Leo University, the Tritons (4-2-2, 2-1-1 SSC) continued to turn heads with their latest performance.
It appeared the Buccaneers (3-4, 1-2 SSC) were in the driver's seat with the lead after the EC defense yielded a 65th-minute goal by Sarah Wolfer.
But if recent history has taught us anything, it's that the Tritons have plenty of fight left in them, and their perseverance and determination down the stretch was evident as EC beat Barry for the first time ever in school history.
Subsequently, the Tritons did the unprecedented and ended an 0-19 streak against the Buccaneers.
“I'm so proud of each player,” EC Head Coach
Danielle Fotopoulos said. “They are all coming together and it is truly a team playing for one another. Their heart and passion to play shines through and they believe in each other.”
“Coming from behind in both conference games to pull ahead and win shows their willingness to do whatever it takes,” she added.
With its second league win in a week, the Tritons, ranked eighth in the NSCAA South Region rankings, are also positioned third behind the University of Tampa and Lynn University in the SSC standings.
Clutch senior leadership came in the form from
Meredith Mahoney and
Dana Treat, who each made key contributions in the late stages.
Mahoney blasted a free kick from the left side of the net about 35 yards out that curled inside the post. Her first goal of the season tied the match at 1-1 in the 72nd minute.
But just when it looked like the Buccaneers and Tritons were destined for another overtime session, Spesshardt's heroics came into play.
Treat put a cross into the box, her third assist of the season, to catch Barry goalkeeper Becca Rogers flat-footed. After locking down the opposition on defense for most of the night, Spesshardt flew in to send the Tritons to another postgame celebration at the 85:31 juncture.
Barry outshot Eckerd, 21-10 on the night, as Wolfer drifted right and pushed in a shot past standout sophomore goalkeeper
Morgan Crescent for the Buccaneers lone score.
Crescent may have saved the match with an outstretched one-handed stop that deflected off the crossbar once the ball smacked her gloves. The reigning SSC Defensive Player of the Week made five more saves on the night.
The Tritons will get a chance to move up the SSC standings again when they host Lynn next Tuesday at the Turley Athletic Complex. The match is scheduled to get underway at 6 p.m.
