Box Score LAKELAND – Abby Bravo and Kirra Rainbowscored goals in regulation time for Florida Southern, but Julie Nytorp scored twice for Nova Southeastern, including the game-winner in overtime, to give the Sharks a 3-2 win over the Moccasins.
A goal by Bravo late in the first half had given the Moccasins (4-2-3, 0-2 Sunshine State Conference) a 1-0 lead they held until the teams combined for three goals in the final 14 minutes of the second half. Nytorp scored one of those to tie the game at one, Rainbow scored immediately thereafter to put Florida Southern back on top, and Sarah Keville tied the score once again for Nova with 6:24 remaining.
In overtime the shots kept coming for both teams, with the Moccasins taking four and the Sharks (4-3, 1-2) taking three in just 6½ minutes. Nytorp brought the game to an end when she was on the receiving end of a cross from Carley Montgomery that came out of the right corner. Running through to the back post, Nytorp was in position to hit the shot for her fifth goal of the season.
For most of Saturday's match it looked like scoring would be at a premium, even with several shots taken in the early going. Most of those, though on target, were from 25 yards or even further out, giving Florida Southern goalkeeper Erin Moseley and her Nova counterpart, Amanda Kopale, a chance to make some easy saves.
Two of Florida Southern's early opportunities came from Sheila Ramos on a header that was saved by Kopale, and a shot at close range by Rainbow that was also saved with the rebound cleared by defender Agnes Holmquist.Sydney Montgomery also tested Kopale with a rocket from nearly 40 yards in the 15th minute.
The Sharks nearly scored first in the 29th minute when the combination of Carley Montgomery and Sierra Lelii gave Sara Lundberg a good shot from the top of the box but she pulled it just wide. Center back Juliana Guida also made a big play for the Mocs in the 37th minute by stopping Lelii on a potential break-away following a punt.
Moments after that, Bravo gave Florida Southern its 1-0 lead after Taylor Cox found her unmarked on the right flank in the attacking third. Bravo drove into the box to go 1-on-1 with Kopale, beating the NSU goalkeeper for her third goal of the season.
In the opening minutes of the second half, it was Guida who stood out on the defensive end of the field for Florida Southern, gaining control for the Moccasins once when Moseley was out of the net, and again when a ball made it across the goal mouth to clear it before a Nova player could take an open shot.
The Moccasins nearly went up by two goals in the 75th minute when Rainbow hit the crossbar, but it was the Sharks who scored next as Nytorp leveled the score in the 77th minute. Receiving the ball on a thrown-in from Cydney Niedermeyer, Nytorp was able to slide a shot inside the near post under heavy pressure for her fourth goal of the season.
It didn't take long for the Mocs to answer, as Rainbow notched her fourth goal of 2014 by punching home a corner kick by Ramos. That made the score 2-1, but the Sharks came back once again in the 84th minute on a goal by Keville, who blasted in a loose ball at the 18-yard line following a clearance by the Moccasins.
Nova Southeastern ended up with an 18-13 advantage in shots, with Moseley making nine saves for the Moccasins, and Kopale making four for the Sharks.
Florida Southern will be at home again on Wednesday when it hosts Eckerd College in another Sunshine State Conference game at 7 p.m.
