Tars Fall Flat in Lakeland

LAKELAND, Fla. (December 31, 2021) – The Tars ended 2021 by falling to the Florida Southern Mocs, 78-48.  Rollins started slow, and could not overcome an early poor shooting effort, as they drop to 4-6 overall, and 1-4 in Sunshine State Conference action.  The Mocs improve to 5-6, while moving over the .500 mark, to 3-2, in conference play.
 
Yoke Tassent led the Tars offensively, pouring in 17 points on 6-9 shooting.  The senior went 5-7 from long range, while also grabbing four rebounds and dishing out one assist  Isabella Prada tallied eight points, going a perfect 2-2 from behind the arc, the freshman also collected three rebounds and registered a team high with a pair of steals.
 
Marissa Jenike led the Mocs with a game high 22 points.  Ashley Shell pulled in 15 boards, as the Florida Southern out-rebounded Rollins 50-33.  Freshman Sara Wohlgemuth paced the Mocs with seven assists and three steals.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:
First Quarter

• A free throw from Asia Newsome got Rollins on the board, before a Silvia Lasarte Garcia jump shot cut the Mocs early lead to four, at 7-3.
• From that point Florida Southern closed the quarter on a 16-4 run, over the last 6 minutes of the period, putting Rollins in a 23-7 hole.

• Despite a pair of Maria Atanassov-Tomas free throws, Florida Southern grew their advantage to 20 points over the first two minutes of the quarter.
• The Mocs grew their lead as high as 25, at the three minute mark, but a Caroline Swartz layup and a Grace Alfieri jump shot cut the deficit to 21.  Ultimately the Tars entered the locker room trailing by 23 points.

• Rollins and Florida Southern traded baskets over the first half of the quarter, with Yoke Tassent hitting a corner three pointer to cut the deficit to 20, at 51-31.
• The Tars then got back-to-back threes from Grace Alfieri and Isabella Prada to make the score 54-37.
• Even as the Tars found their shooting stroke, they could not pull closer, as the Mocs responded, closing the quarter with a pair of scores to take a 59-37 lead into the final period.

• The Mocs stayed hot to start the final quarter, opening on a 14-3 run, and taking a 33 point lead.
• Tassent stalled the run with a pair of shots from behind the arc, but there was no coming back for Rollins, as the clock ticked down with the scoreboard showing 78-48.

UP NEXT:
Rollins will return to Winter Park to face off against the Lynn Fighting Knights.  Tip off is scheduled for Sunday, January 2, at 2 p.m.
 
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