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Panthers Beat Lynn, Earn SSC Tournament Berth

Header Photo: Marem Ndiongue – Photo Credit: Florida Tech Athletics

The Florida Tech Panther women celebrated senior night with a 1-0 win over the Lynn Fighting Knights on Tuesday night at Rick Stottler Field. It was the third straight win for the Panthers and improved their home record to 4-0-4. It is the first time the team finished the season unbeaten at home since 2010.

With the victory, the Panthers earned a spot in the Sunshine State Conference Tournament that begins Monday. It is their first postseason trip since 2018. They will be seeded no lower than sixth, but they will have to play on the road.

Despite beating another ranked team last week, their third of this season, Florida Tech was not ranked nationally when the new poll was released hours before the game. They received votes, but could not crack the Top 25.

Prior to the game the seniors on the squad were recognized. Alex Cabal, Bryson Boyer, Alyssa Bartle, Jeeda Al-Naber, Emily Swope, Veronica Thordardottir, Natalie Hill, Sara Carroll, and Hannah Mansson took the pitch for the final time in a Florida Tech kit.

Maria Sanchez Recuero got the start in net for the Panthers after Paige Lewkutz started the previous two games. Lewkutz was named the Sunshine State Conference Defensive Player of the Week on Monday.

Sanchez Recuero did not miss a beat as she picked up her eighth clean sheet of the season. She made one save. The Fighting Knights had four shots in the match.

The Panthers (8-2-5, 4-2-4 SSC) took 10 shots, seven of those on goal. Lynn goalie Sofia Manner was credited with six saves.

The only shot that Manner couldn’t save came following a corner kick by Marem Ndiongue which was controlled by Lynn and then stolen by Mayara Queiroz Reis. She brought it into the 18-yard box and tapped a pass to a trailing Ndiongue who spun to regather it and sent a shot that glanced off Manner’s foot and into the back of the net. 

It was the third goal of the season for Ndiongue. Queiroz Reis earned the helper.

With the loss, Lynn (5-7-1, 4-6 SSC) had their season come to an end.

For more info: Lynn @ Florida Tech Box Score

Congratulations to the Panthers and coach Ryan Moon who got the team into the conference tournament in his first full season as coach. They will now travel to Fort Lauderdale to take on the third-seeded Nova Southeastern Sharks on Monday, November 8 at 7:00 p.m.