For the second straight game the Florida Tech women came to play in the fourth quarter, only to come up short. The Panthers outscored Nova Southeastern 28-17 in the final stanza, but fell on the road by the score of 78-63.
Tereza Sedlakova continued to carry the Panthers offense with 18 points and seven rebounds. Cheyenne Scott had 12 points and Kailyn Ebb finished with 10 points and nine rebounds.
On Wednesday, Panthers coach John Reynolds said his team showed up for five minutes in the fourth quarter in their 58-52 home loss to Saint Leo. On Saturday, they played great for all 10 minutes of the quarter, but it is still the first three quarters.
The Sharks (15-9, 11-6) started the first quarter on a 12-4 run, before Sedlakova hit two free throws to cut the lead in half with 6:37 to go. Both offenses went dormant for more than two minutes, but Nova went on a 10-2 run, capped by consecutive threes by Alison Hughes, giving the Sharks a 22-8 lead with 1:49 left.
A layup by Michaela Gelbaugh ended the quarter on a high note for the Panthers, but they found themselves down 24-13 at the horn.
Things started well for Florida Tech in the second quarter, as a bucket by Sedlakova cut Nova’s lead to 26-20 with 5:02 left. Threes by Christen Prasse and Sarah Kelly put the home team up 36-23 with 1:52 to go. That was part of a 15-2 run that ended the first half, and put the Sharks up 43-23 at the break.
A three-ball by Kelly with 3:08 to go in the third put Nova up 53-31. Kelly was one of five double-digit scorers for the Sharks. The half would end with the Panthers down 61-35.
Amanda Allen had a three early in the fourth for the Panthers and Gelbaugh was good from downtown, making it 71-52 with4:37 to go. A 7-0 run by Florida Tech cut the deficit to 76-61 with 1:23 to go, but the Panthers would get two free throws from Scott, ending the game.
For more info: Florida Tech @ Nova Southeastern Box Score
Florida Tech (7-17, 3-13 SSC) have now lost four in a row. They will look to snap that Wednesday night when they head to Daytona to take on Embry-Riddle. Opening tip is set for 5:30 p.m