TAMPA, Fla. --- A seven-goal run late in the first half helped 23rd-ranked Tampa to an 18-6 victory over Tusculum in non-conference women's lacrosse action Monday night.
Graeme Eber and Caroline Forester scored three goals apiece and Amanda Rom added two goals and four assists for the Spartans (3-2), who outshot the Pioneers 43-14 and built a 12-3 halftime lead.
Juliette Cusano led the Pioneers (2-5) with a pair of goals, but Tampa had a 19-7 edge in draw controls and forced Tusculum into 18 turnovers. The Spartans were successful on all 14 clear attempts, but converted just four of their 11 free-position shots.
Tampa took a 1-0 lead just 2 1/2 minutes into the first half on a goal from Allie Popelar, but Tusculum came back three minutes later as a free-position goal from Madison Malone tied the score at 1-1. The Spartans then scored three times in 1:26 to go ahead 4-1, including a pair of goals from Forester, before Sierra Haas helped the Pioneers pull within 4-2 with 17:43 left in the first half.
The Spartans would reel off the next seven goals in a span of 12 minutes, 46 seconds to build an 11-2 lead. Eber scored twice and Rom had a goal and two assists during the surge, which ended when Erin Sims scored with 1:31 left in the half. Claire Swanson got the goal back for the Spartans 19 seconds later as Tampa went to halftime with a 12-3 lead.
Tampa went ahead 13-3 early in the second half on a goal with 24:34 left by Maggie Gladden, but the Pioneers came back on consecutive goals by Cusano to pull within 13-5 with 19:51 to go. A goal by Rom pushed the Spartans on top 14-5 with 17:36 left, but Tusculum answered with 11:30 remaining as Eliza Ryan scored off a feed from Savannah Elliott. Tampa then finished the game by scoring the final four goals in the last 10 minutes.
Cusano led the Pioneers with three draw controls, three ground balls and a pair of caused turnovers, while Hailey Sanders had two ground balls and two caused turnovers. The Spartans were paced by Swanson's eight draw controls along with four ground balls by Abby Coccagna and two from Rom, who also had three draw controls in the match.
Kate Pipkin finished with 10 saves in goal for the Pioneers while Brooke Wagner made one stop. Bridget Sutter played all 60 minutes between the pipes for the Spartans and finished with 12 saves in the match.
Tusculum will conclude its three-game trip to Florida on Wednesday at 4 p.m. at Saint Leo.
