Box Score
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – The Eckerd College women's soccer team was edged out at the conclusion of an intense matchup to No. 13 University of Tampa, 1-0, on Saturday evening at the Turley Athletic Complex.
The Tritons (7-6, 1-3 SSC) fell in another match separated by just a one-goal margin to the Spartans (13-1-1, 3-1-1 SSC) after pushing Tampa (Oct. 1) to the brink in non-conference format, 2-1.
Eckerd and Tampa played at an equal pace throughout the first half, with both teams sharing even possession of the ball. Although Tampa outshot Eckerd nine to two, junior goalkeeper
Morgan Crescent tallied four saves to keep the match scoreless at the break.
Scoreless play continued throughout the second half, with each team creeping closer to pushing a goal across as the match progressed.
Finally, in the 70th minute, the ball found Tampa forward Cici Gonzalez among a cluster of players in front of Eckerd's goal following a deflection off a Triton defender. She found an opening in the far left corner of the net to claim her 13th goal of the season, and Tampa took a 1-0 advantage.
Eckerd continued to push relentlessly throughout the final 20 minutes of the match, coming close in several set pieces to tying the match and sending it into overtime.
Freshman defender
Leah Chisolm made a dynamic run down the field to feed a wide open teammate sophomore forward
Devon Morse trailing the play in the second half.
But Morse was somehow stopped at point-blank range by UT keeper Alyson Gregorowicz as she unleashed a hard shot in her bid to tie.
The Tritons have four Sunshine State Conference matches remaining in the season and will return home next week to host on Nova Southeastern University on Tuesday, Oct. 22, at 7 p.m. EST at the Turley Athletic Complex.
