Florida Tech wrapped up their weekend trip to the Carolinas with a big win over Queens University of Charlotte on Sunday, taking down the seventh-ranked Royals 17-8.
Caroline Dunleavy came into the game with six goals on the season and all she did was double that, by the time all was said and done on Sunday. She scored six times and assisted on two more, giving her an eight-point day.
Sam Schiano also had a hat trick and Leah Dunn, Sara Grenier, and Lauren Tybor finished the day with two goals each.
Panthers starting goalie Stephanie Stuart was solid as usual, making five saves all in the second half. She was tested a few times in the last nine minutes of the contest and kept Queens from getting any momentum. Chase Brokaw got the start in net for the Royals and she was under fire all day, as the Panthers reeled off 35 shots (29 shots on goal). Brokaw made nine saves in the loss.
Florida Tech (3-0) jumped out to a 4-0 lead with goals from Dunleavy, Schiano and two from Dunn with less than 10 minutes gone in the first half. With 17:42 to go in the half, Florida Tech appeared to go up 5-0 on a goal by Mollie Kaplan, but the goal was disallowed after a stick violation.
That little bit of a break sparked the Royals, who got goals from Taylor Quade and Hannah Scott to cut the lead in half, 4-2. Tybor and Dunleavy scored to make it 6-2, before Kyleigh Masteran’s goal with 4:45 left in the half, made it 6-3. Tybor answered with 4:14 to go, tallying her second of the day and 10th goal of the season.
Kaplan’s goal with 1:52 left in the half made it 8-3 and yes, this one counted. Quade got the Royals back in it, scoring a goal with 9.4 seconds on the clock and just like that, it was a four-goal game at the break.
Just as they did in the first half, Florida Tech started the second half with a mini-run, getting the first three goals from Grenier, Dunleavy (hat trick) and Mary Gormley. Ally Blood scored to break things up, making it 11-5 with 21:30 to go. Dunleavy scored her 10th of the season 1:20 later to make it 12-5.
After Allison Conn scored to cut the lead in half again, the Panthers scored five of the final seven goals, putting this one in the books. Sunday’s win follows an 18-14 win on Friday over Limestone, meaning the Panthers went 2-0 on their South Carolina trip.
For more info: Florida Tech @ Queens University of Charlotte Box Score
Queens did get a 27-23 advantage in draw controls and each team had 25 turnovers, but the Panthers held a decisive advantage in shots 35-18, draw controls 19-8, and free-position shots, 10-5.
The Panthers will return home on Saturday, March 3, to take on Saint Anselm at Florida Tech Panther Stadium. It is the first of eight straight games on home turf for the Panthers. Opening draw is set for 7:00 p.m.