Box Score
LAKELAND â€" Tyler Blackwood picked up his second hat trick of the year Saturday night before Luke Jenner broke up a shutout bid by the Spartan defense, as the University of Tampa defeated Florida Southern 5-1 in the Moccasins’ final home game of the season.
The win by Tampa (9-4-1, 6-2 Sunshine State Conference) ensured the Spartans will receive a bye in the first round of the conference tournament, and Blackwood did most of the damage for them just as he has all year. The sophomore forward from England didn’t start the scoring for the Spartans, but he did score their final three goals to stake them to a 5-0 lead after 57 minutes.
The first Tampa goal came on an awkward play in the 21st minute that resulted in an own goal by the Moccasins. Brian Fekete created it for the Spartans with a long throw-in to the near post where Andrew Clare disrupted the play, with the ball going off the hands of goalkeeper Brent Theriault. As the ball caromed toward the net, Ashley Holmes desperately tried to clear it but was unable to do so before it crossed the line. Though goals cannot be scored directly off a throw-in, the ball had been touched by at least one player before, resulting in a goal for the Spartans.
The Moccasins (2-11-1, 1-6) nearly tied the game two minutes later when Adam Hansjons sent a beautiful ball into the box on a free kick, and James Gibson connected with a header. The ball was by goalkeeper David Niepel but carried inches wide of the net.
Shortly after that, Alex Knaggs gave UT a 2-0 lead when he intercepted a back pass and fired a shot into the net for his first goal of the season.
It looked as if the score would remain that way going into halftime, but with 13.5 seconds on the clock, Blackwood scored the first of his three goals on the night. It came after Trent Roy fed him the ball down the right flank, with Blackwood taking it in the rest of the way for his ninth goal of the season.
Eight minutes into the second half, Matt Noble set up Blackwood’s second goal of the match, and Blackwood notched his third four minutes after that by converting a penalty kick after he was taken down in the box.
Jenner made sure the game wouldn’t end in a shutout by putting the Moccasins on the board in the 77th minute. The junior midfielder smoked a shot off Niepel’s hands after consecutive passes from Patrick Abrahamsson and Petter Allansson set him up inside the box. It was Jenner’s third goal of the season.
Tampa finished the night with 22 shots, and Theriault made six saves for the Moccasins. Niepel made two saves for the Spartans while facing seven shots in just under 85 minutes. Alberto Orozco finished the game in goal for UT but did not have to make a save.
Florida Southern will be on the road for its next match, a non-conference game against Eckerd on Tuesday night at 7:00 p.m.
