WINTER PARK - It took 11 years for the Florida Southern Moccasins to earn their first trip to the NCAA playoffs. While their first playoff win may be a little longer in coming, it's a good bet the Mocs will be back again real soon to claim it.
Facing a familiar opponent in the first round of the Division II South Region Tournament, Florida Southern and Florida Tech fought to a 1-1 tie before the Mocs came up a little short in a penalty kick shootout for the second game in a row. The final result sent the Panthers into the second round to face Rollins, while the best season in Florida Southern history came to an end.
"We did everything we set out to do this year," said coach Ben Strawbridge afterward. "All year long, we found ways to win games, maybe even some when it looked like we wouldn't. It really shows the tremendous heart this team has; but tonight, Florida Tech was the team that found a way."
Friday's match was everything a playoff game should be, with high drama, sparkling play throughout the entire night, and a finish that was unbelievable for both teams and almost unbearable for one. In the end, neither team found a way to really beat the other, but one of them had to go on anyway. Florida Tech was that team, taking the shootout by a 4-2 margin in its first trip to the NCAA tournament as well.
That the game ever went that far was nothing short of amazing. After regulation ended in a tie, the Moccasins (14-4-2) completely dominated overtime, out-shooting the Panthers (11-6-2) by a count of 8-0. That number didn't even come close to describing just how many times the Mocs nearly ended the game. The Panthers truly used all but one of their nine lives.
Princess Haley, who had tied the game with a goal early in the second half, got the Mocs' first shot in overtime but it was saved by Melissa Pyles. Two minutes later, the Mocs thought they'd won when a mix-up in the Florida Tech defense gave them possession inside the box and the ball ended up in the net after a brief scramble. While the Mocs briefly celebrated, the offside flag was raised, and the goal was nullified.
Undaunted, Florida Southern came right back with a corner kick but a powerful header by Christina Crooks was inches over the crossbar and inches from being unstoppable. Then, with less than two minutes to play in the first overtime, Haley and Erin Hopkins hooked up on what could have been the play of the night, only to have it turn into crushing disappointment.
Haley was able to track down the ball deep in the right corner and not only saved it from leaving the field, she sent it from the end line all the way to the back post for Hopkins. From the top of the six-yard box, Hopkins blasted a shot on goal that Pyles saved in spectacular fashion at point blank range. The raucous crowd at Cahall-Sandspur field never had time to truly react before Hopkins took a second shot and had this one hit off the bottom of the crossbar on the far side of the goal. Somehow, the ball never crossed the goal line as the Panthers cleared it and survived for another overtime period.
It took a little bit longer for the Mocs to get going in the second overtime, but when they did, it was more of the same. They had four more shots and also had four corner kicks in the 10-minute period, but none of them found the mark. Hopkins again had a shot inside the box stopped by a Florida Tech defender, and Liz Gorman was also denied at close range by someone's foot in a maroon colored jersey. The Panthers, meanwhile, weathered the storm, but never came close to scoring themselves.
With the game in penalty kicks to break the tie, the Mocs shot first, but the Panthers scored first. Haley then knotted things at one before Florida Tech's Mikaela McKenney bounced one off the right post that went in. Hopkins took the next shot for Florida Southern and also hit the right post, but her shot bounced out. When Amanda Hjalmarsson then converted for Florida Tech, the Panthers were up 3-1.
Jessee Andrews kept the game alive for Florida Southern by drilling a shot into the net, but Chrissie Charter ended the night by making the next one for Florida Tech.
"I'm devastated for the players not to have a win," said Strawbridge, " but if you'd asked this team in January if they'd be happy with a trip to the NCAA Tournament, they'd say yes in a heartbeat. We were absolutely at our best tonight, but Florida Tech did what they had to do."
During regulation play, the game had a certain ebb and flow that favored neither team for very long. The Mocs seemed to dictate the pace early and had the first shot when Haley forced Pyles into a save less than 90 seconds into the match. They had another good chance in the 13th minute when Crooks sent a header over the crossbar after a corner kick from Linda Hoglund.
The Panthers finally got their first shot in the 15th minute, a strong attempt from DeeDee Newland at the right edge of the six-yard box that was saved by Martina Tangen Billing, one of her seven saves in the match. The Moccasin goalkeeper made another save on a similar shot from the left side several minutes later. In between, she also broke up a potential scoring play by knocking a bouncing ball away from Therese Svensson inside the box, which allowed Kristen Vollmer to recover it and send it out of danger. Then, Renee Heacock stopped a run by Teresa Brantley in the 25th minute by stripping her of the ball.
Then it was Florida Southern's turn again, as Hoglund and Crooks set up a shot by Hopkins near the top of the box. Hopkins lined it off the crossbar though and it bounced harmlessly out of play.
Not long after that, the Panthers scored when Svensson gathered in a loose ball near the top of the box, sidestepped two defenders and sent a shot inside the right post at the 33:10 mark. They took that 1-0 lead into halftime.
Florida Tech kept the pressure on early in the second half with three shots in the first six minutes. Two of those were high and wide, but Sara Lewis hit a hard line drive from outside the box that Tangen Billing saved.
The Moccasins re-grouped though, and tied the game in the 56th minute after another shot by Hopkins bounced off the crossbar. This time, Haley was there to control the rebound and knock it in for her 15th goal of the season. The play was set up by a long run from Hoglund, who weaved her way through several Florida Tech players on her way downfield. Hoglund eventually lost the ball, but the Panthers never sufficiently recovered, allowing Hopkins to set up for her shot from the far right wing.
"Princess is a woman that when the game is on the line, she wants the ball. She never backs down and is the most consistent player I've coached. It's amazing with what she has to go through in a game, fighting against the type of defense she gets and the way teams play her. She always maintains her composure and focus. I thought her and Linda took over the game tonight and gave us so many chances to score. We just didn't do it."
After tying the game, the Mocs would out-shoot the Panthers 4-2 over the remainder of the second half and also had six corner kicks during that time. The last of those chances came with 10 seconds remaining on a corner by Hoglund. The ball was cleared and Heacock sent it back into the box, but Florida Southern was unable to get a shot off before time expired.
"Compared to some of the other things this team has gone through, like the loss of a teammate, what happened tonight was just a game. It may take a little while to realize that, but this group of players is going to be very proud of what they accomplished this year."
FT    1  0  0  0   -  1
FSC 0  1  0  0   -  1
SCORING: FT--Svensson (unassisted), 33:10; FSC--Haley (Hopkins), 55:27. SHOTS: FT 11, FSC 20. CORNER KICKS: FT 4, FSC 16. SAVES: FT 7 (Pyles 5, TEAM 2), FSC 7 (Tangen Billing). FOULS: FT 10, FSC 10. CAUTIONS: Brantley (FT), 94:41; Crooks (FSC), 99:50; Lillsjo (FT), 103:56.
