Connect With Us On Social Media

Panthers Trample Bearcats in Top-25 Matchup

Sam Schiano – Photo credit: James Ragan Photography

The fifth-ranked Florida Tech Panthers got five goals each from Sam Schiano and Lauren Tybor Tuesday night, along with a hat-trick from both Leah Dunn and Mollie Kaplan as they rolled to a 19-7 win over #23 McKendree. Schiano and Tybor ended the night with six points each.

Freshman Hunter Cairo chipped in with two assists, earning her first two points as a Panther.

Florida Tech outshot McKendree 45-15 and won the ground ball battle, 30-15. FIT was down in draw controls 8-5 at the half but ended the game with a 15-13 edge.

Tybor got the scoring started 1:05 into the game and just over a minute later, it was Schiano on a feed from Sara Grenier, giving the Panthers a quick 2-0 lead. For Schiano, it was her 20th goal of the season.

Tybor’s second of the night came 6:46 into the contest, giving Florida Tech a 3-0 lead as the Panthers had McKendree goalie Collin Patton on her heels early. Patton ended up making 20 saves on the night.

Mia Fiore got the Bearcats on the board 55 seconds later, making it a 3-1 contest. That was as close as McKendree would get the rest of the night.

Florida Tech (8-0) then proceeded to go on a seven-goal run that included the hat-trick goal from Tybor and Dunn scoring three straight goals in a span of 3:53. She ended up with a five-point night.

A goal by Kaplan put the Panthers up 10-1, with 5:30 left in the first half. Rylee Skachenko scored the final goal of the half for the Bearcats, making it 10-2.

Florida Tech goalie Stephanie Stuart did her part in net, making a few stellar saves, despite her lack of shots faced in the first half. She made a total of six saves in the first half and got the rest of the night off, giving way to Chloe Zador as the second half got underway.

Tybor started the second half just as she started the game, scoring her fourth of the game, 47 seconds in, upping the lead to 11-2. Skachenko answered with 2:02 gone, making it an eight-goal game.

Schiano scored her second of the night 1:02 later and Kaplan got her hat-trick with 3:59 having elapsed in the second half. That made it 13-3 and started the running clock, which McKendree never got close enough to stop.

Grenier would score her 30th goal of the season with 23:39 left in the game. It was career goal number 192 for her. Schiano would then rip off two in a row less than four minutes apart, giving the home team a 16-3 lead and ending a five-goal run for the Panthers.

The Bearcats (1-2) would score three of the next four goals, cutting the deficit to 17-6 with 8:36 to go. Paige Salthouse, who scored 12 goals in McKendree’s first two games was held to just one on Tuesday and that came with 3:41 left on the clock. Alexis Townsend scored the Panthers final goal with 2:12 left.

For more info: McKendree @ Florida Tech Box Score

The long Panther homestand continues Friday, as they welcome Lenoir-Rhyne to Florida Tech Panther Stadium. First draw is set for 5:30 p.m.