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BOX SCORE

Mocs Can’t Break Through the Walling at the Sandlot

LAKELAND, Fla. – The University of Tampa Spartans prevail over the Florida Southern College Mocs to secure the program’s third Sunshine State Conference Tournament Championship title. 

HOW IT HAPPENED

The first quarter saw back-and-forth action between the two schools as each wanted to make a statement from the first draw control. While Florida Southern got on the scoreboard first, Tampa stayed patient and found an opening in the Mocs’ defense as Sophi Wrisk moved into the inside and scored the equalizer. Tied at 1-1, the Spartans would win the new possession and move the ball quickly down the field. Allie Peebles would find Peyton Howell on the right side of the goal, who would make her move and successfully find the back of the net to give Tampa the lead for the first time in the match. The Spartans maintained this lead for the majority of the quarter as Alex Walling saved several of the Mocs’ attempts to knot the score. However, in the final seconds of the period, Florida Southern managed to find what they were looking for and tied the score up at 2-2. Two minutes into the second period, Howell nabbed her second goal of the day as she made a quick move from behind the net to slot the ball past the Mocs’ goalie. Florida Southern would respond as Kolby Cohen scored back-to-back goals to recapture the lead. The second quarter saw the momentum slowly shift into the Mocs’ favor as they scored two more goals to extend their lead to 6-3. But, this did not deter the energy and fight Tampa had as Cece Colombo would find her sister Gracie Colombo, who would drive her way into the inside to rip a shot into the back of the net before the end of the first half.  

While Florida Southern secured a goal in the beginning minutes of the second half, Tampa would answer back as Cece Colombo dumped the ball to Sarah Hinkle on the inside, who quickly got a shot off and found the back of the net to trail by two. Less than a minute later, the Mocs would tack on another goal to the scoreboard. Leading 8-5, Florida Southern would seize another scoring opportunity to extend their lead. However, Tampa was not going to give up and at the 7:39 mark, Wrisk would score a man-up goal as she ripped a long shot to find the right side of the net. A few minutes later, Gracie Colombo would find Allie Peebles in open space, who would quickly turn and score her first goal of the game after firing a shot into the top right corner. As the third quarter ended, Tampa knew they had to come out strong and heavy into the fourth period, and that they did. Trailing by two, Gracie Colombo would make her way past several defenders to score her second goal of the day. At the 8:12 mark, Howell passed the ball off to Wrisk, who was making her way toward the net and scored a close-up shot to equalize the score at 9-9. A minute later, Cece Colombo would take a chance and rip a long shot that would become the winning goal for the Spartans. With time still on the game clock, Tampa locked down defensively and fended off any Florida Southern attempts. The Mocs would end up turning over the ball in the last few seconds of the match, giving Tampa not only possession of the ball but insurance that they secured the 2024 SSC Tournament Championship trophy. 

Stat of the Game – Sophi Wrisk stands alone as the only Spartan in the game to achieve a hat trick, notably with two of the goals serving as equalizers.

TAMPA POST-GAME NOTES 

• The Spartans secure the program’s third SSC Tournament Championship title. 
• Peyton Howell and Alex Walling led all Tampa players in groundballs (4). 
• UT won the draw control battle, 12-9.
• Sophi Wrisk led the Spartans in goals (3). 
• Tampa caused 7 turnovers and won 27 groundballs.  

UP NEXT – Tampa travels back home to start preparations for the Division II NCAA Tournament. 

*****

#4 Mocs Fall to #5 Spartans in SSC Championship

LAKELAND, Fla. – In the season’s second meeting between No. 4 Florida Southern and No. 5 Tampa, the Moccasins dropped the Sunshine State Conference Championship game to the Spartans at Berend Field, 10-9. The Moccasins won the 2024 SSC regular season while the Spartans won their third tournament title in four years.

Following the game, Florida Southern’s Audrey Cannelli, Olivia Gianakos, and Caitlin Murphy were named to the SSC All-Tournament team.

Abby McFerren paced No. 4 Florida Southern (15-4) with a game-high five points on three goals and two assists. Kolby Cohen was third on the team with three points after a pair of goals and an assist.

Madison Tare, Camden Frissora, Olivia Manghisi, and Hannah Hale all chipped in one goal in the title game. Jackie Stoller finished the game with two assists for her two points. Tare and Frissora each added an assist to tie Stoller with two points for the game.

Maria Reeves led Florida Southern in draw controls with four, ahead of Audrey Cannelli with three. Caitlin Murphy registered a game-high six caused turnovers while A. Cannelli and Olivia Gianakos each finished with three. Murphy also paced the team with four groundballs in the game. McKenzie Gaghan suffered her fourth loss of the season after tallying eight saves in goal for the Mocs. 

No. 5 Tampa (15-3) saw Peyton Howell lead the way with four points on a pair of goals and assists while Sophi Wrisk, the 2024 SSC Tournament Most Outstanding Player, finished with three goals. Gracie Colombo added two goals and an assist for three points while Cece Colombo and Allie Peebles each scored and assisted in the game. Sarah Hinkle provided the Spartans a goal in the win.

Both teams would score a pair of goals in the opening frame, but a four-goal second left Florida Southern in front for most of the game. The teams matched each other in the third, 3-3, but a three-goal fourth stunned the Moccasins for the 10-9 Spartan win.

Abby McFerren broke the scoreless tie between the two teams nearly five minutes in on an unassisted goal. After back-to-back goals by Tampa, Jackie Stoller found McFerren for another goal to even the quarter at 2-2 with four seconds left.

Tampa opened the second with a goal from Peyton Howell, but the Mocs registered four straight goals. Madison Tare and Jackie Stoller each found Kolby Cohen in front of the game where the freshman buried it past the Spartans’ keeper, Alex Walling. Olivia Manghisi joined the scoring party after receiving a pass behind the goal and rolling the crease burying it top shelf. McFerren found Tare for the Mocs’ sixth goal of the game with 2:20 to go in the second quarter. The Spartans would get one goal back with 1:48 but Florida Southern carried a 6-4 lead at the break.

Cohen found a cutting Frissora in the third quarter as a quick shot landed in the back of the net to give the Mocs a 7-4 lead with 13:25 to play in the third. Tampa would get one back before McFerren and Hale scored with 8:22 to play for the 9-5 lead.

The Spartans closed the third with two goals and added on three goals in the fourth to capture the conference tournament title, 10-9.

The Moccasins will await the NCAA selection show set for May 12 at 8:30 p.m. on NCAA.com. In the first regional rankings, Florida Southern was listed as a team to be considered with new rankings set to be released on April 30.

2024 Sunshine State Conference All-Tournament Team
Most Outstanding Player – Sophi Wrisk (Tampa)
Alyssa Romano (Tampa)
Audrey Cannelli (Florida Southern)
Alex Walling (Tampa)
Caitlin Murphy (Florida Southern)
Cece Colombo (Tampa)
Olivia Gianakos (Florida Southern)
Lexi Waters (Tampa)
Meredith Eitel (Saint Leo)
Mallory Jarka (Lynn)
Maria Palomba (Saint Leo)
Kristyn Johnson (Lynn)