Lynn University

TAMPA, Fla. - Despite playing with 10 players for more than 50 minutes, the Lynn University women's soccer team mounted a second-half comeback effort in a 2-1 loss to Tampa in Sunshine State Conference action Saturday evening at Pepin Stadium.

Trailing 2-0 at halftime, the Fighting Knights cut the deficit in half when Miae Canales found the back of the net in the 50th minute off assists from Juliana Torres Lopez and Catarina Fernandes. Lynn continued to battle despite being a player down, outshooting the Spartans 6-2 in the second half while holding Tampa scoreless over the final 45 minutes.

With the loss, Lynn moves to 4-7-2 overall and 0-6-2 in SSC play.

HOW IT HAPPENED: 

- Tampa opened the match aggressively, forcing Brooke Auth into three saves in the opening five minutes 

- Auth continued to anchor the Fighting Knights' defense, making another save in the 12th minute to keep the match scoreless 

- Alex Rigg generated Lynn's first scoring opportunity in the 13th minute, putting a shot toward the bottom-left corner that was saved by the Spartan goalkeeper 

- Tampa scored its first goal of the night off a penalty kick in the 18th minute, 1-0 

- Brooklyn Steiner looked to respond for Lynn in the 24th minute, but her attempt went over the crossbar 

- Brisa Sastre and Fernandes generated additional scoring opportunities in the 28th and 30th minutes, respectively, but both attempts went off target 

- The Spartans doubled their lead off another penalty kick, 2-0 

- Lynn entered halftime trailing 2-0 after generating four shots in the opening 45 minutes 

- The Fighting Knights came out aggressively to begin the second half, with Sastre generating a scoring opportunity in the 49th minute 

- Canales cut the deficit in half at 49:54, scoring off assists from Torres and Fernandes to bring Lynn within one goal, 2-1 

- Rigg looked to build on Lynn's momentum in the 62nd minute, but her attempt sailed over the crossbar 

- Emma Brunelli came up with an important save in the 71st minute to keep the Fighting Knights in the game 

- Lynn continued applying pressure late in the match, earning a corner kick in the 79th minute before Elise Holcey generated another scoring opportunity 

- Torres Lopez forced a save from the Tampa keeper in the 81st minute with an attempt toward the bottom center of the net 

- Just seconds later Canales nearly found the equalizer, but her shot toward the top of the net was turned away by the goalie 

- Despite outshooting Tampa 6-2 in the second half while playing a player down, Lynn's comeback effort fell just short in the 2-1 defeat

FIGHTING KNIGHT STATS: 

- Canales scored her first goal of the season and finished the game with two shots on goal 

- Torres earned her third assist of the season 

- Lynn outshot Tampa 6-2 in the second half despite playing with 10 players 

- The Fighting Knights limited Tampa to just one shot on goal in the final 45 minutes after allowing eight in the opening half 

- Lynn's defense held the Spartans scoreless in the second half, with Brunelli recording two saves in 50:29 of action 

- Auth recorded five saves in the opening 39:31 

- Lynn's goalkeepers combined for seven saves, while the Fighting Knights finished with 10 shots and four shots on goal

UP NEXT:

The Fighting Knights will face Palm Beach Atlantic in SSC action on Wednesday, Oct. 21 at 6:00pm.