Spartans Send Sailfish Swimming on Senior Night

TAMPA, Fla. – The No. 7 ranked University of Tampa Spartans women's lacrosse team celebrated Senior Night with a resounding victory over the Palm Beach Atlantic University Sailfish for their fourth win in a row, improving their record to 7-1.

INSIDE THE MATCHUP:

Final: #7 Tampa 23, Palm Beach Atlantic 5

Records: #7 Tampa 7-1 (5-1 SSC), Palm Beach Atlantic 1-8 (1-5 SSC)

Location: Naimoli Family Athletic Complex | Tampa, Fla.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

FIRST HALF

The Spartans found the back of the net early and often, netting the games first five goals in just under a five-minute span. Gia Colombo's red-hot scoring continued in this one, as she opened the Spartan attack with a solo effort 48 seconds into the game. Just 20 seconds later, Olivia Mott, assisted by Lizzie Pierpont, struck to give Tampa an early 2-0 lead. Tampa then rattled off three goals in just over a minute's time: Cece Colombo, unassisted (at 26:55), Gia Colombo again, unassisted, (26:23), and Lauren McNeill, also unassisted (25:48).

PBA finally answered, scoring a goal on the free position shot. Cece Colombo and McNeill, assisted by Pierpont, scored their second goals of the game to pull away, 7-1, with 20:57 to play. PBA scored once more to cut into Tampa's lead, but the Spartans offense once again hummed a scoring tune, reeling off five goals:

17:56 – Genie Santarpio, assisted by Cece Colombo.

16:44 – Santarpio, unassisted.

16:04 – Santarpio, woman-up on the free position shot, unassisted.

15:02 – McNeill, assisted by Cece Colombo.

14:30 – Georgia Glowaki, unassisted.

The Sailfish scored another to make the score 12-3 Tampa. The last three goals scored in the first half went to UT-PBA-UT with goals coming from Hannah Bush, assisted by Gia Colombo (at 4:51) and Sarah Hinkle, assisted by Cece Colombo (1:14).

Score: 14-3 Tampa

SECOND HALF

Tampa's complete effort on offense and defense was on full display, as the Spartans added 10 more goals in the second half and held PBA's offense to just five goals in the game. Emma McLoughlin opened the scoring in the half, extending Tampa's lead 15-4. Hinkle buried another, unassisted, and teammate Gia Colombo's third goal, assisted by Alexa Scudillo (at 18:40), gave her a hattrick in back-to-back games. Three minutes later Gia Colombo added her fourth goal on the free position shot, unassisted, to give Tampa an 18-4 lead. PBA scored their fifth and final goal of the game at 12:46.

The last five goals of the game were all Tampa:

11:05 – Gia Colombo, free position shot, unassisted.

8:52 – Gracie Colombo, unassisted.

6:17 – Madison Harris, unassisted.

4:41 – Kayla Brennan, unassisted.

3:25 – Alyssa Romano, unassisted.

Final: 23-5 Tampa

INSIDE THE STATS:

• UT had three players score hattricks or better on the game: Gia Colombo (5) Lauren McNeill, and Genie Santarpio.
• Cece Colombo added five points (2G, 3A). Her 33 points this season lead the team.
• Santarpio's three goal effort gave her 20 goals scored on the season, which leads the team.
• Sarah Hinkle was on hattrick watch for most of the game, scoring two goals.
• Bridget Sutter's record improves to 4-0 with her win against PBA. She tallied 11 saves on 16 shots.
• UT outshot PBA 31-16.
• UT was 23-7 in draw controls against PBA.

BEYOND THE BOX:

• Gia Colombo's five goal effort against PBA gives her 11 goals scored in her last two games. She scored six goals at Saint Leo on 04/21/21.
• UT has allowed double-digit goals in just three games this year.

UP NEXT: The Spartans are on the road this Sunday for an afternoon clash with the Rollins College Tars. The game starts at 1:00 p.m.

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