Saint Leo, Fla. – Channeling the spirit of its 1998 team, Lynn University's women's soccer program topped fourth-seeded Florida Tech 1-0 in the opening round of the 2011 NCAA Tournament.  Lauren Impey set the tone on both the offensive and defensive ends, scoring the team's lone goal while anchoring the fifth-seeded Fighting Knights (10-6-1) to their eighth shutout of the season.

This marks the first tournament victory for LU since it won the national championship in 1998.  The Blue & White will next take on top-seeded Saint Leo on Sunday, November 13, at 1 p.m.

A national semifinalist just a year ago, Florida Tech (11-5-1) looked strong to open the match, putting pressure on Lynn's back four with runs down the sidelines.  Lynn, though, kept the Panthers' top-three scorers, Chelsea Pushman, Casey Lademann and Kelly Whittaker, at bay through much of the half en route to heading to the locker room tied 0-0 at the break.

A couple of minor changes to the Knights' strategy opened up the game and led to the game-winning score.  Melissa Ortiz won a battle for a loose ball on the left sideline and found a wide-open Kirstie Schults streaking on a diagonal run towards the right side of the box.  The freshman from Merritt Island, Fla., beat her defender and was taken down from behind inside the box, giving Lynn a penalty kick.

Impey stood over the ball 12-yards away and buried her shot to the right side-netting for her second goal of the season.

Grasping to a 1-0 lead, the game turned physical and pushed Lynn to its limits.  Twice FIT had chances to even the game and both times goal keeper Meghan Dolan turned them away.  The freshman from St. Louis, Mo, stopped eight shots overall.  Her biggest save came with three minutes remaining off an attempt by Pushman. 

The Panthers' leading scorer ripped a shot through the LU defense and off of Dolan's gloves into the right post.  With the ball spinning around on the goal line, Dolan jumped over it before a hoard of FIT players could get a foot on it.

Florida Tech used a last minute push with 30 seconds but Impey cleared the ball to the FIT left corner.  With the clock striking zero, cheers erupted from the Fighting Knights sideline as the entire bench poured onto the field in celebration of their first post season victory in 13 years.

Lynn was outshot 22-4 and lost the corner kick battle 4-1.  

Fans can listen to Sunday's game at LynnFightingKnights.com by selecting the Game Central icon.