Photo: Mollie Kaplan – Credit: Lou Marinacci – Pictures of Motion
The Florida Tech women’s lacrosse team suffered its second overtime loss in three games on Wednesday, falling to the 10th-ranked Rollins College Tars, 7-6.
The Panthers (0-4) held the lead for the majority of the match, but a two-goal finish by the home-standing Tars in regulation tied the game at six before Caroline Gastonguay scored with 48 seconds left in the first overtime to complete her hat trick and give Rollins the victory.
Rachel Johnson, who scored six goals last Wednesday in the Panthers 16-15 OT loss to Lynn netted a hat-trick in this one, with Mollie Kaplan scoring two goals and Alexis Townsend notching a goal and an assist.
Townsend got the scoring started 10:35 in and Johnson followed with her first, assisted by Townsend. Gastonguay answered to make it 2-1 before Johnson scored a free-position goal to help the Panthers regain their two-goal lead.
After Kaplan scored to make it 4-1 with 10:34 left in the half, Gastonguay got one back to cut the lead in half. Eden Cooke’s goal with 56 seconds remaining in the half cut the Tars deficit to one at the break.
Kaplan and Sammy Ottimo traded goals with 14:06 left, making it 5-4. Johnson’s man-up goal with 10:12 left in regulation gave the Panthers a two-goal lead, but Liz Fahey and Ottimo scored less than two minutes apart to tie the game at six.
The Panthers missed a golden opportunity on a failed clear by Rollins with 1:14 left when Rollins goalie Gabby Tanner turned it over and then made a huge save to stay tied.
Florida Tech freshman goalie Emily Harris made a save on Ottimo with 25.9 seconds to go in regulation forcing overtime. Harris made six saves on the night and definitely deserved a better fate in this one.
Gastonguay’s game-winner came moments later in overtime, allowing Rollins to improve to 2-1.
For more info: Florida Tech @ Rollins Box Score
The Panthers had 25 shots in this one with 16 on goal. Rollins had 16 turnovers to the Panthers 14. Tech was 12-for-18 on clears, while Rollins was 17-for-21.
Florida Tech returns home Saturday, April 3 to take on Tampa at 7:00 p.m.