Final Four matchups scheduled for Dec. 7
BREVARD COUNTY • MELBOURNE, FLORIDA – The Florida Tech women’s soccer team punched their ticket into the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament in a thrilling 5-4 win over Lenoir-Rhyne on Sunday afternoon at Rick Stottler Field.
Lenoir-Rhyne got the first shot off in just the seventh minute, but it sailed safely over the crossbar.
Just four minutes later, Sara Batchadji found Marem Ndiongue streaking into the box. Ndiongue proceeded to rip the ball past the Bears’ keeper to give Tech a 1-0 lead.
After some back-and-forth for possession, Josefine Nilsen smashed a shot from outside the box that went off the fingertips of the keeper and into the back of the net to give the Panthers a 2-0 lead in the 25th minute.
Three minutes later, Lauryn Wood made it a three-goal match after she fielded a pass from Ndiongue in the box.
Ndiongue notched her second goal of the match in the 30th minute after she broke away from the defense and knocked the ball past the keeper.
Lenoir-Rhyne got on the board in the 37th minute with a goal from Nicole Auger.
Both teams traded a few more shots but none made it past the keepers and the Panthers went into halftime with a 4-1 lead. Just two minutes into the second half, Nilsen saw an opportunity to score with a header, but the Bears keeper was able to deflect the ball away safely.
The Bears cut into the lead with a goal off the foot of Kara Gavaghan to make it 4-2 in the 57th minute.
Two minutes later, a shot was saved by Ayana Aoyagi off a free kick, but the Bears put the ball in the net on the rebound and made it 4-3. In the 62nd minute, Ella Garner tied the match up for Lenoir-Rhyne with another second-chance goal.
Wood saw an opportunity to retake the lead for Tech, but her shot sailed just high of the top-right corner in the 69th minute.
In the 84th minute, Wood had another opportunity as she found some room in the box, but the Bears keeper met her for the save and the game remained knotted at 4-4.
With just over three minutes left in the match, Nilsen sent a cross into the box and Kate Frazier knocked it into the back of the net to give the Panthers the lead, 5-4.
The teams battled for possession over the last few minutes, but the Bears’ effort wasn’t enough, and Tech was able to come away with the victory.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
Florida Tech moves to 7-6-8 all-time in the NCAA Tournament. (Seven for eight in penalty shootouts). The Panthers also move to 3-0-4 all-time against Lenoir-Rhyne.
This is both teams third NCAA tournament meeting, all three being in the Elite Eight. Each of the prior meetings ended 1-1 and went to penalties, Tech won 5-4 in 2010 while the Bears won 4-3 in 2021.
Florida Tech advances to its second Final Four and first since 2010.
UP NEXT: The Panthers will await seeding for the final rounds of the NCAA Tournament. The Final Four matchups are scheduled to take place on Thursday, Dec. 7 in Matthews, N.C.
Related Story:Florida Tech Men’s Soccer Wins Regional Championship in Overtime, Panthers Advance to Final Four
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