The 17th-ranked Florida Tech women’s lacrosse team got a big conference win on Wednesday, beating the Palm Beach Atlantic Sailfish 15-4 at Florida Tech Panther Stadium.
The Panthers triggered the running clock with 5:08 left in the third quarter after going up by 10 goals and cruised to their eighth win of the season. With the win, the Panthers improve to 8-1 overall and 1-1 in the Sunshine State Conference. They are now 5-0 all-time against the Sailfish.
Carly Niro led the Panthers in scoring with three goals and two assists. Caroline MacLeod had three goals and an assist. Rachel Johnson and Kayla Minton added two goals each. Johnson had an assist as well.
Kiki Cinotti had two goals to lead the Sailfish with Ella Howlin and Megan Jackson each getting a single tally.
Panthers goalie Cailey Canessa allowed two goals and made eight saves in 45 minutes. Kellen Lucchesi played the fourth quarter, allowing two goals and saving three shots. Courtney Rausch went the distance for PBA, making seven saves.
MacLeod, Minton, and Niro scored in the first 10:04. MacLeod then assisted on Karly Liebendorfer’s goal, putting the Panthers up 4-0. Niro scored her second of the night with 2:24 left in the opening stanza and it was 5-0.
Howlin got PBA on the board 2:34 into the second quarter and Cinotti scored less than a minute later, closing the gap to 5-2. Palm Beach Atlantic leading scorer Anna Laskaris appeared to score with 10:27 left in the half, but the goal was ultimately taken off the board. That took all the momentum away from the visitors and Florida Tech took advantage.
MacLeod scored 1:02 after the Laskaris goal came off the board, making it 6-2. Jennifer Boyle scored her 25th of the season a few minutes later. Minton got her 30th of the season and her second of the night with under 10 seconds left, putting the Panthers up 8-2 at the half.
Johnson made it 9-2 with 1:05 elapsed in the third and MacLeod’s hat trick goal was the Panthers’ 10th of the night and fifth straight. Fallon Mears scored her third of the season for the Panthers to make it 11-2 before Niro’s hat trick goal put the Panthers up 12-2 and put the running clock into effect.
Johnson’s second of the night came with 2:41 left in the third and the Panthers finished on an eight-goal run bridging the second and third quarters.
Jackson’s goal came 2:02 into the fourth against Lucchesi cutting the deficit to 10. Elizabeth Christ scored for the Panthers 50 seconds later, and Madison Savje finished the scoring off an assist from Caroline Finn, closing the Panthers’ scoring.
Cinotti’s second goal finished things for PBA with 3:30 to go, cutting the final deficit to 15-4.
For more info: PBA @ Florida Tech Box Score
The Panthers held a 31-21 advantage in shots, including 22-15 in shots on goal. The Panthers won 13 of 23 draw controls and went 19-for-22 on clearances. PBA was 15-for-17. The Sailfish turned the ball over 20 times to the Panthers 15. Florida Tech caused 14 turnovers, to PBA’s eight.
The Panthers travel to Saint Leo on Saturday for a 7:00 p.m. contest.