Box Score LAKELAND – For one heart-stopping moment, it looked like Florida Southern was going to pull off the type of comeback that would send its seven seniors off with the type of senior night no one was ever likely to top. But as time expired, goalkeeper Julia Kantor saved the game for Florida Tech and ensured the Panthers would hold on for a 1-0 win over the Moccasins.
Florida Tech (8-4-1, 4-3 Sunshine State Conference) scored its goal with 5:01 remaining on a direct free kick by Ciera Misner. The junior defender put the ball in the net from 19 yards after the Moccasins were whistled for a foul just outside the box.
Trailing by a goal, the Moccasins (2-9-1, 2-5) had a chance to tie with just under three minutes to play after Gianna Conte won a corner kick for them. The Panthers were able to clear it out, and run more time off the clock, but not enough to keep the Moccasins from putting together a last-ditch attack that nearly tied the score anyway.
Winning the ball back on their own end of the field with less than 10 seconds to play, the Mocs pushed it down the right flank through Conte, who got the ball into the box for Kristy Legoas. With no time to spare, Legoas was able to find room to fire off a shot that was right on target. Kantor, however, made a tough save at the near post as the clock hit zero with Florida Southern forward Kylie Harris in position to put home any possible rebound. Instead, Kantor's play clinched the Panthers' 1-0 win and her seventh shutout of the season. It was the only save the senior had to make in the entire game.
Most of the first half was fought in the midfield, with only two shots apiece through the first 25 minutes. Both teams, however, were very close to scoring during that time, with a shot by Florida Tech's Elin Svensson going off the crossbar just 30 seconds into the game, and another by Legoas in the 18th minute over the bar by inches following a Panther turnover in the box.
By the end of the first half, Florida Tech had taken a 6-2 lead in shots, though only two of those were on goal, and both of those came from beyond 25 yards.
For the game, Florida Tech out-shot Florida Southern 16-5, but Moccasin goalkeeper Helena Norrstrom made eight saves.
Florida Southern has now seen 10 of its 12 games decided by one goal this season, and it was the eighth time the winning or tying goal was scored in the final eight minutes.
Florida Southern will play its final two regular season games on the road, with a non-conference match at Eckerd on Wednesday at 7 p.m., and a conference match at Saint Leo on Saturday, October 24.
