Colleges: Carnegie, Panthers end Lions' season

Saint Leo saw its season come to an end as Florida Tech’s Brittany Carnegie scored a second half goal to give the Panthers a 1-0 victory in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament at Rollins College in Winter Park.

The win was the Panthers third over the Lions this season, and moves them into the second round against host Rollins on Saturday night at 7 p.m.

“To beat a good team like Saint Leo three times in one season is quite an accomplishment,” Tech head coach Fidgi Haig said. “We came out hungrier tonight, stuck to our plan, stayed composed and came out with a good result. We are all excited to move on and I’m happy for our seniors. Now, we need to put this game behind us and focus on Saturday’s match.”

A defensive mistake in the 61st minute caused the Lions downfall, as Carnegie intercepted a poor pass in the Lions end, putting her in on goal. Saint Leo goalkeeper Cristina Coca saved Carnegie’s initial shot, but Carnegie picked up the rebound, and put it away.

“I’m glad I had the chance to contribute to tonight’s win,” Carnegie said. “I’ve never felt so excited following one of my goals so the feeling is great. It means a lot to us to have an opportunity to face Rollins again. We are looking forward to the challenge ahead.”

The Lions almost answered immediately, but Hannah Beard’s shot was parried by Tech goalkeeper Melissa Pyles, and then went off the post before it was recovered. Beard, who along with Sara Macko and Ana Davila suited up for the final time for the Lions on Thursday, was denied by Pyles again as her header couldn’t find the net with just over two minutes remaining.

Colleges: Using last season as guide, Lions look for SSC title

SAINT LEO – Saint Leo’s women have been here before. Last year, as it happens.

Then, the No.4-seeded Lions made a remarkable run to the Sunshine State Conference tournament championship.

Now, the No.4-seeded Lions are looking to do the same thing, beginning when they face No.5 seed Nova Southeastern at University Field on Tuesday night. It’s a task that Coach Ged O’Connor and his side are looking forward to.

“This is the fun time of the year, because you know every game you’re going to play is going to be a tough one,” O’Connor said.

In the past three seasons, the Lions have risen to that challenge. Including last year’s title, they have been to the SSC tournament final in each of the past three seasons. Before last season, the Lions had been the No.2 seed twice, earning a bye in the first round and advancing automatically into the semifinals. O’Connor, though, is happy to have an extra game at home.

“In a way, I’d rather finish third or fourth than finish second in the conference,” O’Connor said. “Both Rollins and Florida Tech have got over a week off, because we had to have last weekend free. That’s a long time without playing. It’s hard to stay match-fit.”

Saint Leo won 3-1 on the road when the two teams played in the penultimate game of the Lions regular season. Hannah Beard scored twice in that contest, and O’Connor said he will need Beard and center back Francesca Williams to be at their best if they Lions are to move on to face Rollins on Friday.

A bigger key, though, may be for the Lions to erase the defensive mistakes that have allowed opponents easy scoring opportunities, a trait that has bedeviled the Lions so far this season.

“If we continue to allow mistakes, it’s going to cost us,” O’Connor said. “We’ve got good enough players going forward between Pia (Soesemann), Chrissy (Darwell), Hannah and (Sara) Macko, we’ve got some damn, damn good players going forward, but I don’t know how many goals we’ve given up this year, but I’d be surprised if more than 20 percent were because of great play by the other team.”

If the Lions can fix that, though, O’Connor sees no reason why his side can’t win a second straight title.

“I think there’s a little bit of confidence, especially because they know what happened last year,” O’Connor said. “I’m not scared of any of those teams.”

Colleges: Lions earn victory, end Spartans' season

Saint Leo’s women ended the University of Tampa’s season as Sara Macko scored one goal and assisted on another to give the Lions a 2-1 victory at Pepin-Rood Stadium on Wednesday night.

The loss eliminated the Spartans from contention for the Sunshine State Conference, as Lynn’s 2-0 victory against Barry earned the Fighting Knights the No.6 and final seed in the tournament.

Macko gave Saint Leo the lead in the ninth minute, firing home a shot from the left side of the penalty area after picking up a cross by Francesca Williams. The goal was Macko’s eighth of the season.

Tampa tied the game before halftime, a poor clearance by the Lions’ defense coming to Megan Tobin, who capitalized on the error to score her third goal of the season, leaving the game even at the break.

Chrissy Darwell broke the tie in the 69th minute, though, as she headed home from Macko’s corner kick.

Had it won, Tampa would have earned the No.6 spot in the SSC tournament thanks to its 2-1 victory against Lynn earlier in the season. As it is, the Spartans young squad will return the bulk of its players for next season, with only Saige Steinmetz and Renta Figuera graduating from this year’s squad.

The No.4 seed Lions will next host No.5 seed Nova Southeastern in the opening round of the SSC tournament on Tuesday night at 7 p.m. After winning the conference tournament title a season ago as the No.4 seed, the Lions will try to make a repeat run this season.

Colleges: Beard's two goals give Lions victory

A pair of second half goals by Hannah Beard gave Saint Leo a 3-1 victory against Nova Southeastern, and also gave the Lions momentum as they move towards their final game of the regular season.

After a scoreless first half, the Lions began to build pressure on the Sharks goal, NSU goalkeeper Sarah Glass having to make saves from Pia Soesemann twice and Kelli Jones. The Lions then took the lead on the hour mark as Sara Macko converted a penalty kick for her seventh goal of the season.

Beard then notched her first, picking up a pass from Soesemann on the right side of the penalty area before finishing in the 73rd minute. NSU pulled a goal back six minutes later, Alexis Hernandez beating the Lions defense to a long ball over the top that put her through on goal to score, but Beard sealed the victory in the 83th minute, her 12th goal of the season.

The Lions sealed the No.4 seed for the Sunshine State Conference tournament with the win, and will now face rival Tampa at Pepin-Rood Stadium to close out the regular season on Wednesday.

College Women's Matchday: Saint Leo at Nova Southeastern

WHEN: Saturday, 5 p.m., NSU Soccer Complex

NEED TO KNOW: The Lions will try to move ahead of the Sharks in the Sunshine State Conference standings when the two teams meet. Both sides have won three games in conference play so far, with NSU having earned one point more thanks to a tie against Rollins.

The Sharks (6-5-1, 3-3-1 SSC) fell 3-1 in their last outing against Florida Tech, and conclude their SSC schedule with Saturday’s game. NSU has spread its scoring around, with three players, Elizabeth Brauher, Aubrey Fondy and Alexis Hernandez, each scoring three goals this season.

The Lions (6-4-1, 3-3-0), on the other hand, have had Hannah Beard as a consistent scoring threat. The senior has scored 10 goals in 10 games for the Bulls, adding a pair of assists. Thanks to that, and the performances of Pia Soesemann (seven goals) and Sara Macko (six), the Lions have averaged four goals per game for the season, including 2.67 in conference play.

Colleges: Moccasins rally past Lions, pull away late

Goals shortly before and after the halftime break erased Saint Leo’s first half lead and allowed Florida Southern to take another step towards a Sunshine State Conference title as the Moccasins won 4-1 at University Field on Saturday night.

Pia Soesemann had given the Lions the lead in the 35th minute on her seventh goal of the season. Sara Macko found Soesemann just outside the penalty area, and the German standout fired her shot home from 18 yards.

Saint Leo (6-3-1, 3-3-0 SSC) had a chance to extend their lead shortly after, Aija Bent-Trinder’s header from a corner going wide, but shortly after the Moccasins tied the game as Alex Hoover’s cross found Renee Hiscock for a header in the 43rd minute.

Florida Southern (10-5-1, 6-1-0) then took the lead in the 48th minute, Hanna Jansson’s long-range shot finding the back of the net. Saint Leo tried to rally, but the Moccasins defense did well to restrict Hannah Beard and the Lions attack, blocking a pair of shots as goalkeeper Martina Tangen had to make only one second half save.

Florida Southern then put the game away with a pair of goals within a minute, Princess Haley scoring her ninth of the season before Alex Hoover scored the Moccasins’ fourth.

Florida Southern now has almost two weeks off before what could be a championship decider against Rollins on Oct. 29. The Lions will try to regroup as they travel to face Florida Tech on Tuesday afternoon at 4 p.m.

College Women's Matchday: Florida Southern at Saint Leo

WHEN: Saturday, 7 p.m., University Field

NEED TO KNOW: The Lions will look to continue their run of form against a Florida Southern team that is in contention for the Sunshine State Conference title. Saint Leo has won three straight games, including a 1-0 victory against Barry in its last time out.

After suffering major setbacks early in the season with injury and illness, the Lions appear to have found the rhythm they have been in search of. The trio of Hannah Beard, Sara Macko and Pia Soesemann have been critical to this, with Beard leading the team with 10 goals in nine games. Macko and Soesemann have added six goals apiece as the Bulls have scored 39 goals this season.

Florida Southern drew with Montevallo (Ga.) in their last outing on Tuesday, as former Newsome High standout Morgan Sammons continued her recent run of form with her fifth goal of the season. Princess Haley and Kerri-Ann Brown lead the Moccasins with eight goals apiece, and the key to the game could be who gets on the board first. Both Saint Leo and Florida Southern have scored more goals in the first half than the second this season.

Colleges: Macko, Coca lead Lions past Buccaneers

Sara Macko’s sixth goal of the season proved to be enough for Saint Leo to extend its winning streak to three games as the Lions defeated Barry University 1-0 on Tuesday night in Miami Shores.

Macko scored in the ninth minute, scoring after Andrea Lott’s initial shot had been deflected. The Lions (6-2-1, 3-2-0 SSC) maintained their pressure after taking the lead, but weren’t able to find the net against the Buccaneers (3-10-0, 1-4-0) for whom Emily Pratt made 11 saves.

At the other end, the Buccaneers rarely tested Lions goalkeeper Cristina Coca, who made three saves for her second shutout of the season.

The Lions will look to continue their momentum as they face Florida Southern in their final home game of the season on Saturday night.

Colleges: Soesemann leads Lions rally to victory

Playing through a bruised thigh she suffered in the first minute of the game, Pia Soesemann scored twice in the second half to lead Saint Leo a 4-2 victory against Lynn on Friday evening.

With the game tied 2-2 after Sara Macko and Hannah Beard had each scored to negate a pair of leads taken by the Fighting Knights, Soesemann gave the Lions their first lead of the game in the 81st minute. Picking up a pass from Kelli Jones neat the halfway line, Soesemann raced down the flank, cut inside, beat her defender and scored.

Soesemann then gave the Lions some breathing room five minutes later. Chrissy Darwell began the move, taking the ball down the touchline before she slipped it to Beard inside the penalty area. Beard created space for herself, and found Soesemann, who had timed her run into the penalty area to strike home a first-time shot into the net.

The goal was Soesemann’s sixth of the season, and she trails only Beard, whose goal was her 10th of the season. The victory evened the Spartans Sunshine State Conference record, and they will now look to move above .500 on Tuesday as they travel to face Barry.

College Women's Matchday: Lynn at Saint Leo

WHEN: Friday, 7 p.m., University Field.

NEED TO KNOW: The Lions (4-2-1, 1-2-0) will try to end a two-game losing streak in the Sunshine State Conference, and build off a 7-2 victory against Palm Beach Atlantic on Tuesday night as they face the Fighting Knights (6-5-0, 1-2-0).

While shorthanded due to injury and suspension against the Sailfish, only 15 players traveled for the game, Hannah Beard and Sara Macko led the way for the Lions as they romped to victory. Beard scored twice, giving her nine goals in seven games.

Lynn’s Melissa Ortiz also has nine goals this season, while Brittany Evernden has nine assists to lead the Fighting Knights. Lynn has done most of its damage late, scoring 16 of its 23 goals this season in the second half, and boasts a strong 3-1-0 record on the road. However, the Lions have won five straight contests against Lynn, including a 4-0 victory in Boca Raton last season.

Colleges: Depleted Lions blow out Sailfish

Hannah Beard scored twice, while Sara Macko had a goal and three assists as Saint Leo’s women overcame a short bench to sweep past Palm Beach Atlantic on Tuesday night 7-2 in West Palm Beach.

Beard gave the Lions the lead in the 10th minute, but the Sailfish answered less than a minute later on a goal by Gabby Lopez. From there, though, the half was dominated by Saint Leo (4-2-1), who took only 15 players with them on the trip, allowing for only three outfield substitutes. Goals by Macko, Pia Soesemann, Kelli Jones and Aija Bent-Trinder all scored before halftime to give the Lions a 5-1 lead.

Angie Kuhn pulled a goal back for the Sailfish (4-4-0) just before the hour mark, but Andrea Lott scored her first goal of the season, and Beard added her ninth late to close out the game.

The Lions now return home to face Lynn on Friday night as they look to return to .500 in Sunshine State Conference play.

Colleges: No.16 Panthers too much for Lions

No.16 Florida Tech put a serious dent in Saint Leo’s Sunshine State Conference title aspirations as a pair of goals in either half led the Panthers to a 4-2 victory at University Field on Saturday evening.

Both sides had chances early, but it was Kelly Whitaker who gave the Panthers the lead in the 24th minute as she redirected DeeDee Newland’s pass into the net. The Lions hit back in the 38th minute, Sara Macko converting from the spot after Hannah Beard had been brought down in the penalty area, but Florida Tech quickly regained the lead two minutes later, Alyssa Esposito scoring on a first-time shot off a corner.

Newland turned scorer for the Panthers in the 67th minute, finishing off a counter-attack brought forward by Paula Lillsjo after a Lions corner. The Lions would then see defender Dari Alcantara sent off for her second yellow card before Florida Tech added a fourth in the 84th minute through Teresa Brantley.

Beard pulled one goal back for the Lions with less than a minute to play, but are now 1-2-0 in SSC play, After being picked as preseason favorites to win the conference, the Lions face an uphill battle to accomplish that feat.

Colleges: Lions put 13 past Lady Cougars

Saint Leo scored 18 seconds into the contest, while Hannah Beard recorded her first hat trick of the season and the Lions romped to a 13-0 victory against an overmatched Clearwater Christian side on Friday night at University Field.

Sara Macko scored on the Lions first attack of the game, and the lead was already 4-0 by the 21st minute, Beard finding the net twice before Pia Soesemann scored her third goal of the season.

Clearwater Christian was unable to muster a shot on goal, and saw goalkeeper Megan Dixon’s goal peppered with shots all night as the Lions finished with 50 shots. Dixon finished with 17 saves.

Beard completed her hat trick in the 72nd minute, while Aija Bent-Trinder scored twice for the Lions.

The Lions take a week off before they return to Sunshine State Conference action against Florida Tech on October 3.