LAKELAND, Fla. – After a long 667-day wait, Florida Southern College women's soccer had to wait another hour and 45 minutes before kicking off the 2021 season due to weather. The Mocs season opener against Edward Waters University was one for the record books, as FSC set an opening day record with seven goals scored. Sophomore goalkeeper
Jenny Staten picked up right where she left off at the end of the 2019 season with her seventh career clean sheet, moving to a tie for third place all-time in program history.
Florida Southern is now 1-0-0 while Edward Waters is 1-2-0.
Senior
Caitlyn Lowery led the Mocs with a pair of goals as she put the Mocs up 2-0.
Courtney Chomko,
Elena Brkic,
Rebeka Mejia,
Claire Duree, and
Bianca Purpura all recorded their first collegiate goals in the victory.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- C. Lowery was quick to make a scoring opportunity as she recorded the first shot of the game just 22 seconds in as the Tigers keeper deflected it off target. Staten also was quickly tested as Edward Waters put its first shot on goal 90 seconds in to the contest.
- Florida Southern would get called offside at the 20:09 mark and just 32 seconds later the Mocs' C. Lowery took a pass from senior captain Rachel Peck to open the scoring. As the home team's offense kept the pressure on the defense the Mocs were once again called offside but 90 seconds later in the 23rd minute C. Lowery was back at it again this time taking a pass from Brkic to give the Mocs a 2-0 advantage.
- Staten would face just one more shot in the first half as she would make the save to keep the Tigers off the board.
- Florida Southern would take a 2-0 lead in to the halftime break.
- C. Lowery and Chomko looked to give the Mocs a 3-0 lead as they both were denied by the Tigers defense.
- As the Mocs offense kept the pressure on the Tatum Albrecht found the foot of the freshman Brkic who found the back of the net for her first collegiate goal to make it 3-0 in favor of the home team.
- Chomko would connect for her first collegiate goal as she made it 4-0 in the 68th minute as she took a feed from freshman Mejia.
- The trio of Mejia, Duree, and Purpura would all record their first collegiate goals in the final 15 minutes of the contest to give the Mocs a 7-0 victory.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
- With her seventh career shutout, Staten moved in to a tie for third place all-time with Sarah Furr and Kim Fish.
- The Mocs would tie a program record with seven goals scored, matching a previous high of seven goals in a 7-1 victory over Warner on October 4, 2006. Seven goals is now the most goals scored in a season opener, passing the previous high of a 6-0 shutout against Fontbonne on August 29, 2003.
- C. Lowery recorded her first multi-goal game in her career.
- Florida Southern out-shot Edward Waters, 32-4, with a 15-3 shot on goal advantage to the Mocs. FSC totaled three corners to none by EWU.
HEAD COACH PAUL LAWRENCE'S TAKE
"I am immensely proud of the way they handled the night with all the distractions of the weather and delay. I think we had a very professional performance given the circumstances. This is really the perfect start to our season."
NEXT UP
Florida Southern will head to Georgia College for a pair of neutral site contests against Anderson (S.C.) on Sept. 4 and Spring Hill on Sept. 6. Southern will return to Moccasin Field on Sept. 10 for a 5 p.m. opening kick against Texas A&M International.
