WINTER PARK, Fla. (November 8, 2009) - It has
taken 13 seasons, 236 contests, 141 victories, and two regular
season Sunshine State Conference championships; today, the Rollins
women's soccer team earns another first as they become the 2009 SSC
Women's Soccer Tournament Champions by overpowering Florida
Southern 1-0 on Sunday afternoon.
To make the story even sweeter, The Tars (15-1-2) won the
milestone matchup on their home turf, and earned an automatic bid
to the NCAA Tournament as well.
Thanks to a goal from freshman forward Ali
Schrader in the 50th minute off of a throw-in from senior
defender Maia Ryan, the top-seeded
Tars place another highlight in their unyielding 2009 campaign.
Schrader, hailing from Port Saint Lucie, Fla., was without a goal
coming into the tournament, but racked up three tallies throughout
the weekend, earning Tournament Most Outstanding Player honors for
her efforts.
Rollins placed five players on the All-Tournament Team. Joining
Schrader were SSC Defensive Player of the Year Meagan
Thomas, senior midfielder Jessica Mooney, sophomore
defender Charlotte Murrell, and
sophomore goalkeeper Michelle Dillingham were all
recognized for their play throughout the 2009 tournament.
An intelligent and unfaltering back line for Rollins helped hold
Florida Southern scoreless thanks to solid play from Maia
Ryan, Leah Hirsch, Thomas, and
Murrell, while Dillingham made four clutch saves on the afternoon
to earn her 11th shutout of the season.
Rollins saw smart game play in all areas of the field as the
midfield was involved in the majority of the action. Mooney and
fellow senior Rachel Jakubowski led the
team from the midfield, while a deep offensive grouping of Chelsea
Brady, Mellissa Doerk, Jessica
Deese, Ashley Waplinger, Elise Spearing, Marie
Sapper, Annie
Pippert, and Schrader all kept Florida Southern on their toes
with continuous rotating pressure on the Mocs' defensive half.
Florida Southern (12-7-1) did not let the Tars take home the
title so easily, and put up an admirable fight throughout the
entire contest. The Mocs came out firing on all cylinders,
out-shooting the Tars 4-1 in the initial 20 minutes of play.
Thanks to Dillingham's resolute afternoon in cage, Florida Southern
was denied on all three of their attempts on frame.
Despite constant pressure from a tough Moccasin squad, Rollins
was able to pick up the pace in the final 15 minutes of first
period action, and turned the table at the start of the second half
to set the tone for the remainder of the contest.
Just minutes into the second half, Florida Southern sent a ball
over the sideline directly in front of the Rollins bench. Ryan
took the throw in, finding the feet of Schrader, who worked her way
around defenders to find an open shot for a hard strike on frame.
Her shot failed to find its true potential, and was almost saved by
FSC goalkeeper Martina Tangen-Billing, but her diving save attempt
did not have enough gusto, allowing Schrader's ball to trickle just
past her fingers into the left corner.
Rollins led the shot count on the afternoon 10-7, while both
teams matched-up in shots on goal 4-4, as well as corner
opportunities 3-3.
With the victory, Rollins earns an automatic bid into the
upcoming South Region Tournament, making it the second-straight
year the Tars have earned a spot into the NCAA playoffs.
Sites and match-ups will be announced Monday at 7:00 p.m. The
selection show will be streamed live on NCAA.com.
