The Florida Tech Panthers got their Sunshine State Conference championship rings and then proceeded to get their first win of the 2018 season Friday night, beating Delta State 4-0 in the home opener at Rick Stottler Field.
Maria Munoz scored the first two goals of the game, while Veronica Thordardottir and Brittany Etrick had single tallies. Munoz took three quick shots in the first 5:59 to start the game and she was finally rewarded 7:45 into the game, beating Delta State goalie Heather Travis, giving the Panthers a 1-0 lead. The assist on the goal went to Kiera McCarthy, who tipped the ball into the box.
Munoz took another couple shots a couple minutes later and Travis was forced to make another save. She would get her second goal of the night at the 22:08 mark, with the assist going to Thordardottir, making it 2-0.
The Panthers third goal came with 11:12 left in the first half off a corner kick from Macey Hedelund, who found Munoz. She got it to Thordardottir in the box, who booted it by Travis, just inside the post, giving FIT a 3-0 lead.
McCarthy tried to extend the lead to 4-0 with two consecutive shots with 8:49 to go in the half. Travis took the first shot to the stomach and saved the second as she was going to the ground. Travis was removed from the game after the saves, in favor of Amanda Hilliard.
The Panthers dominated the first half, taking 16 shots, seven on goal. The Statesmen managed two shots overall, one on goal. Each team had one corner.
Backup goaltender Natalia Milashus started the second half in goal for Florida Tech, taking over for Maria Sanchez Recuero, who had played all three of the Panthers previous games and the first half on Friday.
Elisabeth Stoffel and Munoz had the first three shots of the second half for the Panthers, but Hilliard saved both. Florida Tech earned another corner with 67:41 gone in the game. Stoffel did the honors and she found Etrick, who scored at the 68:16 mark, giving the Panthers a commanding 4-0 lead and the eventual victory.
For more info: Delta State @ Florida Tech Box Score
The Panthers took eight shots in the second half and 24 total. Delta State did not get a shot on goal in the second half. Delta State had eight saves, with each goalie coming away with four. Florida Tech took Four Corners, Delta State had two.
The Panthers will host another Gulf South Conference team on Sunday, welcoming Valdosta State for a noon match.