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LAKELAND - Eight games into her college career, Alex Hoover is carving her niche into the Florida Southern offense, and in the process, the Moccasins have found another weapon. Tuesday against Palm Beach Atlantic, they used that new weapon, along with quite a few others to down the Sailfish 4-0, and extend their winning streak to three games.
At one point, Hoover may have been a secret weapon, but the secret might be out. In the last five games, the freshman from West Palm Beach has scored three goals and has been one of the Mocs' biggest stars during their current winning streak. Tuesday against her hometown team, she had one goal and one assist on a pair of back-breaking plays in the second half that blew open a close game.
The Moccasins (5-3) dominated the first half with a 14-1 edge in shots, but led only 1-0 on a goal by Linda Hoglund in the 38th minute. Hoglund had initially given the ball to Princess Haley, but after dribbling into the middle of the field, Haley sent it back, leading Hoglund perfectly into the PBA penalty box. Her shot to the far post was on target for her fifth goal of the season.
Hoglund has now picked up at least one point in eight consecutive games, breaking her own school record she set last year.
The Sailfish (1-6-1) kept the game close until Haley and Hoover broke them down midway through the second half. In the 67th minute, Hoover started an attack for Florida Southern down the left flank, getting the ball on the run to Jackie Bachteler who played it forward. Haley did the rest, taking it into the box for a shot into the upper reaches of the net. It was her fourth goal of the season and the third straight game in which she's scored.
The Mocs immediately re-gained possession after the kickoff and a shot by Hoglund in the box was blocked out of bounds by PBA, setting up a corner kick. Hoover took it, and the Sailfish cleared it only to have Hoover come out of the corner and recover the ball for Florida Southern. Wasting no time, she hit a brilliant shot from 25 yards, across the box and into the far side of the net for a 3-0 Moccasin lead.
After mass substitutions, the Moccasins scored again in the 72nd minute, giving them three goals in the span of four minutes and 47 seconds. This one came off the foot of Therese Dahlskold inside the six-yard box and was set up by defender Lexie Bottomley on the right wing.
The game settled down after that and Florida Southern finished with a 24-2 advantage in shots taken. Goalkeeper Martina Tangen Billing wasn't even required to make a save in posting her third shutout of the season. It was the second time this year the Moccasins allowed only two shots in a game.
Nearly the entire first half was played on the PBA side of the field and the score could have been worse than 1-0 if not for defender Brandi Bianco. She twice stopped shots by the Moccasins when it appeared goalkeeper Ashley Morrell had been drawn out of position. One of those came against Erin Hopkins inside the six-yard box. Morrell had five saves herself in the first half and finished with eight.
The Sailfish came out stronger to start the second half and at one point maintained possession for a long stretch on the Mocs' side of the field. However, they had problems getting the ball out of the corner and were stopped repeatedly by left back Kristen Vollmer as well as Renee Heacock on that side of the field.
The Mocs re-grouped though and took control of the game once again. Even before their three-goal explosion later in the second half, there were several other chances, including a pair of well-placed corner kicks by Hoover that somehow rolled through the box without the Mocs getting a shot.
Florida Southern will begin Sunshine State Conference play on Saturday with a trip to Miami Shores to face Barry University. Game time is 4:30 p.m.
PBA  0  0   -  0
FSC  1  3   -  4
SCORING: FSC--Hoglund (Haley), 37:24; FSC--Haley (Hoover, Bachteler), 66:21; FSC--Hoover (unassisted), 68:27; FSC--Dahlskold (Bottomley), 71:08. SHOTS: PBA 2, FSC 24. CORNER KICKS: PBA 3, FSC 12. SAVES: PBA 8 (Morrell 7, TEAM 1), FSC 0 (Tangen Billing). FOULS: PBA 3, FSC 6. CAUTIONS: None.
