Spartans Take Down Florida Tech 3-2 on Senior Night

TAMPA, Fla. - The University of Tampa women's soccer team wrapped up their 2016 regular season campaign on Saturday night as they hosted the Florida Tech Panthers on Senior Night. The match finished 3-2 in favor of Tampa as the home side finished the season on a high note to complete a stellar turnaround after a rough start.

INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
Final: Tampa 3, Florida Tech 2
Records: Tampa (6-7-2, 4-3-2 SSC), Florida Tech (9-5-0, 4-5-0 SSC)
Location: Pepin Stadium | Tampa, Fla.

All-time Series: Tampa leads the all-time series against the Panthers at 10-3-6.

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HOW IT HAPPENED:
1st Half | The first half of the game began slowly as both teams tried to get a feel for the pace of the game and warm up as the temperature at kickoff was lower than normal. After a back and forth battle in the midfield, the Spartans started to have the advantage and looked the better side. Tampa took the lead in the 28th minute by way of a Nastasia Asgedom goal off a cross into the box from Gabby Scirica that found its way to Asgedom's feet. The lead was short lived however as the Panthers struck two minutes later to tie the game as Aubri Williamson scored. The pace of the game picked up after the goals as both sides chased the lead. Neither side was able to breakthrough and the teams went into the break 1-1.

2nd Half | The Spartans started out the second half strong and it did not take long before the scoreboard would reflect it. 10 minutes in, Ali Robinson would head in a cross from Sarah Raymond to give the Spartans a 2-1 lead. Tampa would maintain the momentum as they would hold on to the ball and put three more shots on the board, looking to get some breathing room from the Panthers. However, luck would be on the side of the visitors as a ball bounced around in the UT box and Lauren Bolhuis was credited with the goal to tie the game up again in the 75th minute. Tampa didn't hesitate to get back on the offensive and four minutes later the team used a counter attack to go back up on the scoreboard. Meg Beidleman took a ball at midfield and set Asgedom free on the right side who would shoot to the bottom left corner of the goal and past the keeper for the game-winner.

INSIDE THE STATS:
• The three goals scored is a season high for the team this season.
• The team also set a season high with three assists on the night. 
• Asgedom finishes the regular season with a team-high five goals and three assists.

BEYOND THE BOXSCORE:
• After a rough start to the season, Tampa finished the regular season going 5-1-2 in their last eight games.
• After being shutout at home by then-No. 6 Rollins, the Spartans went the rest of the season recording at least one goal in each match.
• UT has now gone 6-2-2 against Florida Tech in the last 10 games between the two schools.

UP NEXT:
The Spartans will now wait to see how the conference standings shake out as there are multiple teams that have matches that were rescheduled earlier in the season for various reasons. Those matches will be played this week before the conference tournament begins on November 1st.

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