FORT MYERS, Fla. – Florida Gulf Coast and Fairleigh Dickinson combined for five goals in the first half, but four went to the Eagles. The Eagles tacked on three more in the second half to secure a 7-1 win on Sunday afternoon.
The seven goals allowed by Fairleigh Dickinson are the most since allowing six to Stony Brook back in August of 2013.
Head coach
Eric Teepe was disappointed with his team's performance. "We allowed the heat to affect us today and allowed the other team to overrun us. We got a goal back, had some good chances then gave up two soft goals and could not find anything from there. Competing had been a strength for us recently but it was not today. We need to be more committed in our challenges and defensively with marking."
Florida Gulf Coast (6-4) scored the first two goals of the contest through Tabby Tindell in the eighth minute and Emilie Olsen in the 15th. Tindell beat
Amanda Fitzgerald (Holbrook, N.Y./Sachem East) to the far post in a one-on-one situation. Olsen forced a turnover and fired one in from outside the 18 to make it 2-0.
Fairleigh Dickinson (2-8) was held without a shot until
Julia Shea (Carmel, N.Y./Mahopac) sent a header outside the right post in the 17th minute. Two minutes later,
Elma Kolenovic (New York, N.Y./NYC Lab) got the Knights within one on her fifth of the season.
Jessi Reinhardt (Freiberg, Germany/Burggymansium) was credited with the assist, her third of the season. Kolenovic cut inside the Eagle defender one left wing and curled a shot from outside the 18.
On the half-hour, Jamie Finn knocked in her first of the season with an assist from Megan Young. Six minutes later, Silvana Gordon put the ball into the open goal after beating Fitzgerald to a loose ball.
Paulina Speckmaier converted a penalty kick in the 56th minute and Olsen got her second of the game after beating Fitzgerald to the right in a one-on-one situation to make it 6-1 in favor of the Eagles. The Eagles got a second chance from the spot and converted that one through Lauren Green in the 85th minute.
The Knights return to action on Wednesday when they host instate rival Monmouth at 7 p.m. at University Stadium.
