Box Score LAKELAND – Behind goals from senior Kirra Rainbow and sophomore Margot Chowansky, and a couple of big plays on both ends of the field by freshman defender Jess Goedde, Florida Southern took a 2-1 lead into the locker room against Tampa Tuesday night. In the second half, however, it was the Spartans who scored twice to take a 3-2 victory over the Moccasins.
Tampa struck for the game's first goal just 2:45 into the match with a corner kick by Gabby Russo setting up a near-post shot by Madison Cox. Although Tampa (9-2-2, 3-2 Sunshine State Conference) had control of the game in the early stages of the first half, Florida Southern (4-5-3, 0-5) would seize control in the middle of the period with back-to-back goals by Rainbow and Chowansky. They came on consecutive shots 6½ minutes apart and gave the Moccasins a 2-1 lead they would carry into a halftime lengthened by a lightning delay.
Rainbow's goal, her sixth of the year, was a beautiful shot that came from just outside the box, carried over the outstretched hands of Tampa goalkeeper Caroline Frykgard, and dropped in under the crossbar. The Spartans had allowed Rainbow to dribble around the edge of the penalty area before she decided to make the attempt in the 20th minute.
Rainbow (Melbourne Beach, Fla.) was also involved in the go-ahead goal in the 26th minute, starting the play by sending the ball out wide to Goedde (Batavia, Ohio) who was pushing forward. Goedde then sent the ball over the top of the Tampa back line where Chowansky (Califon, N.J.) finished it from 10 yards for her second goal of the season.
Goedde was an active participant on the other end of the field too, as was every member of the Florida Southern defense facing the nation's seventh highest scoring offense. Goedde saved one goal in the 37th minute when senior goalkeeper Erin Moseley (Jacksonville, Fla.) had to deflect a cross by Russo and the ball ended up loose in the penalty area. With Spartans swarming toward the ball, Goedde stepped in to clear it out of danger.
Junior Christine Knudstrup (Lakeland, Fla.) was in the middle of the action too throughout the first half, both on the ground and in the air, teaming up with junior Gianna Conte (Orange Park, Fla.) in the middle, while senior Sydney Montgomery (Sanford, Fla.) held down the left defensive side.
Moseley made four saves in the half, but only one of them was a serious challenge. That occurred in the 30th minute when Cox played a ball long for Lauren Moore, who tried to flick a running header past Moseley. It didn't work, as Moseley went high in the air to punch the ball over the crossbar.
In the second half, Tampa got the tying goal from Amber Pennybaker in the 49th minute, and the eventual winning goal from Cici Gonzalez in the 53rd. Pennybaker's tally came after a long run down the left flank into the box, while Gonzalez banked her shot off the right post.
Moseley prevented another Tampa goal in the 73rd minute when she came out to stop Hannah Watts in a 1-on-1 battle before the Spartans had a handful of attempts from further out that sailed high or wide.
In the final 10 minutes, the Moccasins put together a series of runs to threaten the Tampa net, with their best chance coming with three minutes to play. A free kick by sophomore Kristy Legoas (Palm Harbor, Fla.) was served into the box where freshman Izzy Loyd (Melbourne, Fla.) got a head on it, but the ball continued to the left of the goal. The Mocs then applied constant pressure on the Tampa back line in the final 60 seconds but the Spartans repelled them and held on to their 1-goal lead.
Moseley finished with seven saves in the game, and Frykgard made two for Tampa.
Florida Southern will be on the road Saturday for a 4:30 p.m. match at Florida Tech.
