Box Score LAKELAND – Caroline Evers had to wait an awfully long time to celebrate the type of game she had Wednesday night in Florida Southern's Sunshine State Conference opener against Nova Southeastern. Giving Florida Southern the lead one time just wasn't enough, so why not do it again? Evers first put the Moccasins ahead late in the second half with one goal, and after the Sharks forced overtime, the senior midfielder scored the golden goal at the end to give Florida Southern a 3-2 win.
Evers led Florida Southern (1-2-1, 1-0 Sunshine State Conference) in scoring in 2012 when she was an all-conference selection as a freshman. She then tied for the team lead in goals as a sophomore, but missed nearly all of her junior year before returning to the field in 2015. Her two goals against Nova Southeastern (3-2, 0-1) were her first of the season, with the game-winner coming on a penalty kick that was drawn by freshman Kylie Harris. It marked the first time in team history (18 years) that Florida Southern won a game on overtime PK.
Ironically, the last point Evers recorded for Florida Southern came when she assisted another game-winning overtime goal against Nova in the final regular season game of 2013. She also had one goal and one assist in a 2-1 Moccasin victory over the Sharks in 2012.
The Moccasins also got an MVP performance from senior defender Gianna Conte, who assisted the first goal by Evers and turned in a dominating performance from her right back position before moving forward later in the game. It seemed like every time the Sharks went on the attack, Conte was in position to make the stop and re-start the offense for Florida Southern. Her inspired play was a key ingredient in the win, even with the Sharks out-shooting the Moccasins 16-9.
Four of the five goals in the game were scored on set pieces, with both teams scoring their initial goals on corner kicks. Florida Southern's came in the 24th minute when freshman Anna Griessler sent one into the box that junior Sheila Ramos hammered home for a 1-0 lead and her first goal of the season. The Sharks then knotted the score after halftime in the 52nd minute on a header by Sierra Lelii off a sharply curving corner kick by Samantha Gestido.
The Sharks actually had a 10-2 advantage in shots during the second half, but nevertheless, the Mocs still found a way to score. After a foul gave FSC a free kick in the attacking third, Conte sent the ball into the box where Evers re-directed with a header just inside the near post. That came in the 78th minute and put the Mocs ahead 2-1.
Lelii notched her second goal of the night for Nova, and league-leading eighth of the season, by kicking in a loose ball from close range in the 86th minute. One minute later, Tori Vives took another shot for Nova Southeastern that was on its way into the upper right corner, but Helena Norrstrom was able to make the save, one of nine on the night for the sophomore goalkeeper. The Sharks also threatened in the closing seconds, but a last-ditch shot by Lelii went off to the right.
In overtime, the Moccasins controlled possession almost from the outset, and Conte had one shot blocked that led to a corner kick in the 94th minute. Though Nova Southeastern cleared it, the Mocs never really lost control, and Griessler eventually took the ball back into the left corner for the Moccasins where she tried to get it into Harris inside the box. When Harris was fouled on the play, the ball was handed to Evers, who calmly converted the penalty kick for the win.
Florida Southern will play its next game on Saturday night at Palm Beach Atlantic, with a 7 p.m. kickoff.
