Box Score ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Once of the expected strengths of the Eckerd College women's soccer team coming into the season was the squad's considerable depth.
That strength was put to the test on Sunday night as, with conference play looming on Wednesday, head coach
Danielle Fotopoulos played the bulk of her normal starters sparingly and went to the reserves to take on most of the minutes.
The decision was a good one.
Non-starters delivered three of EC's four goals in a 4-3 win over Webber International (Fla.) at the Turley Athletic Complex in the final non-conference tune-up of the season.
"I think they did a great job," Fotopoulos said about her bench. "They went in a tough situation, down 1-0. We saw a lot from them and they showed the heart and soul of our team."
Lauren Monce, one of 13 seniors on the squad, came off the bench to record her second career brace - one an equalizer and one to put EC on top for good.
"Monce is such a composed player," said Fotopoulos. "She's an excellent finisher."
Monce finished off two quality strikes, the first of which tied the match at 1-1 on a set piece from 20 yards out in the 42nd minute as she curled the ball into the upper left corner.
Her second score came in the 70th minute to give EC its first lead of the night.Â
Michelle Spesshardt sent in a cross deep into the box, where it eluded the reach of WIU keeper Kayla Hanel. Monce was running on in perfect position, chesting down the high bounce and volleying the ball into the open net.
The goal completed Eckerd's comeback after falling behind early as it did on Thursday.
Webber International, playing its first match of the season, wasted little time in getting on the board. In the second minute, Cierra Abundez corralled a loose ball inside the six-yard box and punched it in to give the Warriors a quick 1-0 lead.
Webber retook the lead in the 56th minute when Abundez struck again, this time dribbling past her defender down the left side and rifling a shot past
Angelique Ulmer to the right post.
But if the Tritons have shown anything this season, it's that they have the ability to score goals quickly. They did it again tonight.
Spesshardt equalized the match for Eckerd after receiving a throw-in from
Alice Wader on the left sideline. She turned and sent in a high shot that bounced over Hanel's head and into the goal to tie things up at 2-2.
Five minutes later, Spesshardt set up Monce on her second goal, and Eckerd got an insurance goal in the 88th minute from
Abbey Walter on a strike from distance.
Walter's goal turned out to be an important one as the Warriors scored again seconds later when Julia Fuentes dribbled past the defense on the right side and finished to the far post. That was the last chance WIU would get, though, as the Tritons held possession for the final minute to seal the win.
The Tritons (3-0-1) now head into conference play on Wednesday as they host No. 21 Saint Leo at 7:00 PM.
