MELBOURNE, Fla. (November 26, 2024) - Women's basketball suffered another close conference loss, this time dropping a 58-56 contest on the road at Florida Tech on Tuesday. The Tars now stand at 3-4 on the year, with a 1-2 record in SSC play. The Panthers improve to 4-2, 1-1 SSC.
Tech opened the game with five straight points, but the Tars responded with a 6-0 run over the next three minutes to take the lead. Rollins scored on their final three possessions of the first period, giving them a 15-12 lead.
Aaliyah Irizarry-Perez powered the offense in the second quarter, scoring seven of her game-high fifteen on two layups and a three. She was flanked by
Kaitlyn Sanders who added five points of her own as the Tars outscored the Panthers 18-10 to take a 33-22 lead into the break.
Rollins was 13-32 (41%) from the floor in the first half while holding the Panthers to 8-27 (29%) shooting.
Florida Tech began to claw their way back into the game in the third quarter. They allowed just one Tar field goal in the first five minutes of the period. Still, Rollins was able to hang on to their cushion thanks to some solid free throw shooting. They knocked down all four of their attempts from the charity stripe in the third. At the end of three, Rollins held a 45-38 advantage.
Tara Murray and Irizarry-Perez were the only Tars to score in the first five minutes of the fourth. Meanwhile, Florida Tech successfully completed their comeback, using an 8-0 run to tie the game at 49. The two teams would tie it up again at 53, before Tech took a 55-53 lead with 1:09 to go on a Kyandra Poitier jump shot.
It was the senior center coming through once more for Rollins, converting a layup on a nice feed from
Claire Erickson with only nine seconds to play. Tech advanced the ball to their side of the court, and called timeout. Tai Roberts had the play drawn up for her, and found herself unguarded at the top of the key. As she drove in, she was fouled and also hit a shot right before the buzzer to put the Panthers up three. One of their bench players ran on the court to celebrate, and was assessed a technical foul. Erickson knocked down one of two free throws to make the final of 58-56.
Irizarry-Perez led the way for Rollins with 15 points, nine rebounds, and two steals. Sanders added seven points, nine boards, and five steals.
Next up for Rollins is a home game against Northwood University on Saturday, November 30. Tipoff is scheduled for 12:00 pm.
