Florida Tech Women’s Sports Weekend Round Up
By Florida Tech // March 3, 2014
Women’s Golf Competes at Peggy Kirk Bell Classic
WINTER SPRINGS, FLORIDA (Women’s Golf) – After having the last couple weeks off, the No. 4 Florida Tech Panthers get back to action this week at the Peggy Kirk Bell Classic in Winter Springs.
The two day event goes Monday-Tuesday at the Tuscawilla Country Club and is hosted by Rollins.
The Panthers are one of 14 teams competing in the event, including eight teams ranked in the Golf World/WGCA Div. II Coaches’ Poll.
Defending Peggy Kirk Bell Champions and current No. 1 team in the country Lynn will compete.
Other ranked teams in the field include: Barry (3), St. Edward’s (5), Rollins (6), Florida Southern (9), West Florida (10), and Nova Southeastern (14). Also competing at the Classic will be Tampa, Seminole State College, Detroit Mercy, Palm Beach Atlantic, Findlay, and Division I Louisville.
The Panthers are looking to keep their record breaking pace going this week. The Panthers set a new 36-hole team score record at the Tusculum/Kiawah Island Intercollegiate.
The squad shot a 601 for the two-round event to surpass the old record of 617 set at last season’s Lady Mocs Classic. The Panthers followed that with setting a new team 54-hole score at the Lady Mocs Classic. The Panthers shot a 902 for the event as a team, besting the previous record of 918 set at last season’s United States Women’s Invite.
Two rounds at the Peggy Kirk Bell Classic will be played on Monday starting at 8 a.m. ET. A final round will be played Tuesday morning.
Competing Teams (Rankings based on Golf World/WGCA Div. II Poll):
• #2 Barry
• Detroit Mercy
• Findlay
• #4 Florida Tech
• #9 Florida Southern
• Louisville (Div. I)
• #1 Lynn
• #14 Nova Southeastern
• Palm Beach Atlantic
• #6 Rollins
• #5 St. Edward’s
• Seminole State College
• Tampa
• #10 West Florida
Panthers Lose Fifth Straight on Sunday Morning
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA (Women’s Tennis) – No. 18 Florida Tech women’s tennis (2-7) could not overcome a slow start and fell to Shorter (5-2), 8-1, on Sunday morning at the Ralph “Skeeter” Carson Tennis Complex in Pensacola, Fla.
However, the Florida Tech women’s tennis program fell to the Hawks, 8-1, recording its lone victory in doubles No. 1. No. 19 Kristina Hubaand Natasa Vukovic defeated Candic Laurent and Aurelie Gaborit, 8-4.
FIT played close matches all morning but dropped third-set thrillers in singles No. 1, No. 4 and No. 6. Jessica Widmark and Katie Close fell just short in their comeback in doubles No. 3, falling 9-7.
In flight No. 1, Vukovic fell in the first set 6-2 but rallied from behind to take the second set, 6-3, forcing a tiebreaker.
Meritt Rabson earned a first set win in singles No. 4, 6-4, before falling in a tiebreaking singles match as the Hawks took the second set, 6-2 and the tiebreaker, 6-3. Close took the opening set of singles No. 6, 6-2, before falling 7-5 and 7-5 in a tiebreaker, as the Hawks downed the Panthers, 8-1.
“We did not play fundamental doubles today and it cost us two points,” head coach Bill Macom said. “We battled very well in five of the singles matches but were unable to pull any of those out.”
The women return to Desoto Park for three consecutive games, beginning with No. 45 Chestnut Hill at 12 p.m. on March 6.
No. 18 Softball Begins Dot Richardson Spring Games with Split
CLERMONT, FLORIDA (Softball) – No. 18 Florida Tech split its first two contests of the Dot Richardson Spring Games on Sunday, defeating Notre Dame College 2-0, but falling to Southern New Hampshire 1-0 at the National Training Center.
“Our offense couldn’t put it together today,” head coach Val Silvestrini said.
“We had some good at-bats, but we didn’t have good consecutive at-bats in order to score. Southern New Hampshire’s pitcher threw a great game. I have to give credit to them. In the first game, we could’ve scored more runs. We had a lot of opportunities. We had a tough time adjusting to the field and adjusting to the umpires. Both of our pitchers threw really well.”
Taylor Smith (5-4) gave the Panthers another strong outing in the first game of the day against Notre Dame. She threw a four-hitter and walked only one, while striking out two. She has allowed just two earned runs in her last 36.1 innings.
Brigit Godfrey led off the first game with a triple down the right-field line. Kelsey Donahue then brought her in on a single to left field.
Godfrey came across the plate for the Panthers’ second run in the fifth inning. Jessica Callahan scored her on another base hit to left field. Godfrey finished the game with two of FIT’s five hits.
In the second game, Southern New Hampshire pitcher Ali Maloof permitted just five hits in a complete game seven innings. She allowed a Panther past first base only three times.
The Penmen scored their only run in the second inning on a single by Christiana Galella.
Starter Rachel Pence (8-3) gave up just four hits in six innings. She struck out two and walked one.
Taylor Peterson went 2-for-3 in the game to lead the Panthers at the plate.
FIT will return to the National Training Center on Tuesday to play Findlay from Findlay, Ohio at 1 p.m. and Chestnut Hill from Philadelphia, Pa. at 3 p.m. Live stats will be available for both games at FloridaTechSports.com/live.
