Three Mocs Earn Career-Highs in Win Over Rollins

LAKELAND, Fla. - The Florida Southern College women's basketball won 60-48 over Rollins College in George W. Jenkins Field House on Wednesday evening. After a slow first half, the Mocs had a huge 17-0 run late in the third quarter to secure the Sunshine State Conference victory.
 
After the win, Florida Southern improves to 13-10 overall and 9-7 in SSC play. 
 
"We talked at half time and said what's going to win this game is energy, and that's what we did," head coach Megan Dzikas '12 said after the victory. "We were down a point guard (Domenica Zamora) today and I asked a couple of people to step up. I told them, 'We got to win together as a team today,' and I thought we did that." 
 
The first half of play was tightly contested between the two teams. Graduate student Ashley Shell scored the first bucket of the night to take the early lead for the Mocs. The Tars answered almost everything the Mocs threw at them throughout the first two quarters. Southern trailed by two going into the locker room at halftime, 27-25. 
 
It wasn't until the end of the third quarter that the Mocs began to pull away. With 3:33 left in the frame, sophomore Arielle Dabu knocked down a three to take a 34-32 lead. On the very next possession, Dabu got a fast break layup to further the Mocs' lead and spark a massive 17-0 run. Threes from freshman Sydney Gomes and sophomore Arriyana Bracero fueled the Moc's offense during the run. FSC led 48-32 going into the fourth quarter.
 
In the final quarter, the Mocs made a defensive effort in order to maintain their lead. The Tars did manage to get as close as seven points, but their momentum was shut down by the defensive pressure of Florida Southern. 
 
Dabu notched her first career double-double in the win, as Arlington Heights, Ill. native posted 11 points and 12 rebounds. Shell led the Mocs in scoring as she tallied 15 points with six rebounds. 
 
Both Reagan White and Braceo stepped up in a big way to help the Mocs get the victory. White, a freshman from Fairhope Ala. tied her career high of nine points and brought down a career-high seven rebounds. Braceo, a sophomore from Huntington, Md. tallied a career-high 11 points.  
 
UP NEXT
 
The Mocs travel to Tampa, Fla. this Saturday, February 11 to take on #3/4 University of Tampa in the Bob Martinez Athletics Center. The tip-off is scheduled for 2:00 PM.
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