Connect With Us On Social Media

Preview: Panthers Play Argos For South Region Title

Header Pic Credit: Jonathan Murray

The Cinderella season continues for the No. 5 Florida Tech Panthers on Friday when they take on the third-seeded West Florida Argonauts at 2:00 p.m.

After beating the Lee Flames who came in as the number one seed in the South Region with an undefeated record, the Panthers will play the Argonauts in Friday’s South Region final with the winner moving on to Sunday’s Quarterfinals.

The win over Lee was the second straight match that Florida Tech won in penalty kicks. They beat Mississippi College back on November 19 to advance. 

West Florida (14-3-2) and the Panthers have played a handful of common opponents with the Argonauts playing Sunshine State Conference teams, Saint Leo and Florida Southern during the regular season and beating them both 1-0. They also played Auburn-Montgomery, Montevallo, Lee, and Mississippi College, twice with their only loss coming to the Flames.  They beat Embry-Riddle in the tournament on November 21.

Related:  2021 Tournament Bracket /// Printable Bracket

In four previous meetings, the Panthers are 1-3 against West Florida. Their win came on September 4, 2016, a 2-1 win in overtime. The last meeting between the two came in 2018 in Columbus, Georgia, s 4-1 win for the Argos.

Here is a breakdown of how the two teams match up this season:

This season, the Argos are 2-1 at home and have scored 31 goals (1.74 goals per game), while allowing 12 (0.63 goals per game). Charline Favier has started 14 games in goal, with a record of 9-2-1, with six shutouts. She allowed nine goals while making 30 saves.

Blair Cowan is West Florida’s leading scorer with 10 goals and five assists in 19 games. Brianna Pope and Julia Comin had four goals and one assist each this season. Destiny Hammac, Peyton Peffers, and Lauren Ragazzone had three goals apiece.

The Panthers (10-3-7) have scored 20 goals, while allowing 10, scoring an average of one goal a game, and allowing 0.50 a game. They are 6-3-2 this season on the road.

Maria Sanchez Recuero had nine saves in the game against Lee, bringing her season total to 70. She comes into Friday’s game with an 8-3-7 record, including 10 shutouts. Her goals against are 0.46, while her save percentage is .886.

Florida Tech’s offense is led by Marem Ndiongue who has five goals and six assists in 20 games this season, including a helper against Lee. 

Mayara Queiroz Reis has six goals and four assists in 19 games, including the equalizer against the Flames. Junior Mariana Mazzocca has two goals and an assist. 

When they become available, links to Friday’s game’s video and statistical information will be posted on the sports_lowdown Twitter feed. Follow us there for live tweets throughout Friday’s game.