Spartans Lose Double Overtime Heartbreaker at No. 3 Rollins
| Final | 1 | 2 | OT | OT2 | T |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Tampa
(4-2-2, 0-1 SSC)
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
|
Rollins
(9-0-0, 2-0 SSC)
|
2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
Team Stats
Rollins
| Game Statistics | Tampa | Rollins |
|---|---|---|
| Shots (on goal) | 12 (7) | 15 (6) |
| Saves | 3 | 5 |
| Fouls | 15 | 10 |
| Corner Kicks | 7 | 5 |
| Offsides | 0 | 5 |
WINTER PARK, Fla. - The University of Tampa (4-2-2, 0-1 SSC) men's soccer team fought from behind on two occasions to force double overtime at undefeated and No. 3 Rollins College (9-0, 2-0 SSC), before falling by a 3-2 score on an awarded penalty kick with less than four minutes to play.
"I can't be prouder of these players and the work they put in tonight," says head coach Adrian Bush. "Anyone who watched this game saw two great teams putting everything on the line."
In the Sunshine State Conference opener for the Spartans, they faced an early deficit following a Rollins goal from Tosan Popo in the seventh minute. UT would draw even in the 19th minute when Craig Laird scored his first goal of the year on a free kick.
It took the Tars less than five minutes to regain the advantage, scoring in the 24th minute on a penalty kick by Rafa Faria. Rollins would hold the 2-1 lead heading into the half.
The Spartans dominated the second half, outshooting the Tars by an 8-2 margin. UT also knotted the score at 2-2 on a goal by leading scorer Tyler Blackwood in the 65th minute. Naysir Rodriguez was credited with the assist.
The game remained tied at 2-2 when regulation ended, forcing an overtime period. In the first overtime, neither team converted as the lone two shots were credited to Rollins.
In the second overtime, Rollins drew a penalty kick with 3:14 to play. Faria took the kick and converted for the Tars, keeping their perfect record intact.
When asked to comment on the way the game ended, Bush refused comment.
Though outshot 15-12, Tampa owned the advantage in shots on goal, edging the Tars 7-6. UT also took seven corner kicks while Rollins had five. Goalkeeper David Niepel finished with three saves.
Tampa heads to Florida Tech on Tuesday for another tough SSC battle. The game is slated for 5 p.m. A link to live stats and a broadcast will be available through the men's soccer schedule on TampaSpartans.com.
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