PENSACOLA – Kara Moore helped Florida Southern find its scoring touch on Sunday at West Florida, but a 6-minute scoring spree by the Argonauts early in the second half offset any damage done by the Moccasins. Moore assisted two goals for the Mocs, but Chelsea Palmer and Shelby Bush played a role in four goals for their team in a 4-2 win by West Florida.
For the first 15 minutes of the game, Florida Southern did everything but score, setting the tone with six shots in the early going while not allowing any. The Mocs threatened right away when a nice run by Sarah Goolsby led to a shot by Kirra Rainbow that was saved by UWF goalkeeper Sarah Story. Another run by Moore down the right flank nearly set up a goal by Rainbow, but Argonaut defender Taylor Harbison stopped the cross at the back post.
Moore also put Story to the test with a pair of free kicks that forced her into action in the ninth and 14th minutes. Both shots were from well outside the box but on target, with Story going airborne to keep them out of the net. She failed to hold the second one, resulting in a follow-up attempt by Christine Knudstrup, but the close-range shot when wide left. Moore then hit the left post with another long-range free kick in the 15th minute and Goolsby had a shot blocked inside the box shortly thereafter.
While the Moccasins (0-3-1) weren’t able to capitalize on their early chances, the Argonauts (3-0) did on one of the few they had in the first 45 minutes. It was enough to give them a 1-0 lead at halftime. Palmer scored the goal for West Florida on a corner kick, practically running through the ball in the middle of the box and driving it into the net. It was one of only three shots in the first half for West Florida while the Moccasins took nine.
It didn’t take the Mocs long to tie the score in the second half. After putting the Argos on edge in the first half with her shooting off free kicks, Moore took another long one in the 50th minute that was served into a group of Moccasins in the middle of the box. Knudstrup got a foot on it to send it rolling into the net, knotting the score at one.
Disaster befell the Mocs after tying the game, as the Argonauts scored three goals in the span of six minutes and 42 seconds to take control of the game. West Florida scored the go-ahead goal in the 56th minute when defender Rachel Cutts sent a free kick from the right sideline to the top of the box where it was headed forward by Bush. Palmer finished the play by running into the box again for her third goal of the season.
Just over a minute later, the Argos scored again when Bush played another ball forward that resulted in a 1-on-1 opportunity for Sashana Campbell. Bush then gave the Argos another goal and a 4-1 lead by heading in a cross from Shanice Monteith.
Florida Southern answered in the 66th minute when Moore sent a corner kick into the box where it was headed home by Alyssa Abrahamsen. The Mocs had just two more shots after that, however, as the Argos held them off for the final 4-2 margin.
Florida Southern finished with a 15-14 advantage in shots taken, including an 8-6 margin on goal. Story prevented the Mocs from scoring any more than they did by making six saves.
The Moccasins will return to action on Wednesday night in Davie when they take on Sunshine State Conference foe Nova Southeastern in a non-conference game at 5:00 p.m.