WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — The PBA Sailfish faced a tough challenge on Wednesday, falling to No. 3 University of Tampa, 12-5, at the PBA Soccer Lacrosse Field. Despite the outcome, the 'Fish displayed a well-rounded offensive effort, netting three unassisted goals.
Cooper Porter was instrumental with two assists and three shots, two on target.
Braylon Baker was relentless, taking 10 shots with four on goal.
Bryce Downs was a standout, scoring twice from his two shots on target. In goal,
Vincent Probst was solid with seven saves, facing an onslaught of 37 shots.
The 'Fish came out strong in the first quarter, with Downs opening the scoring, assisted by Porter, just 57 seconds in. They maintained early momentum through effective faceoffs and clears but met stiff resistance from Tampa's defense. Tampa quickly answered with a goal by Eric Burbank and furthered their lead with two more from Rex Kesselring.
The Sailfish had several opportunities, including attempts by
Giovanni Lubrano and Baker, but Tampa's goalie Westin Schmidt stood firm. The quarter ended with Tampa ahead 3-1, and PBA eager to close the gap in the second.
The second quarter saw Tampa gain early momentum with another goal from Kesselring. Undeterred, the 'Fish answered back with a goal from Lubrano, tightening the score. Probst shone in goal, making key saves to momentarily halt Tampa's offense.
Tampa's attack continued with goals from Tommy Ortega and Jackson Bashaw. The 'Fish's
Tyler Stewart forced a turnover leading to a defensive stop, but Tampa capitalized again with a goal from Aaron Cho, ending the half with PBA trailing 7-2.
In the third quarter, PBA came out firing, with Downs scoring just a minute in. They kept the pressure on with successful faceoffs and possession but were met with two quick responses from Grant Green and Bashaw.
Despite turnovers, the 'Fish regrouped, and
Noah Zimmerman netted a goal with only 10 seconds left, trimming the deficit. The quarter closed with Tampa leading 11-4, yet PBA looked to build on the late goal.
As the final quarter unfolded, the 'Fish fought hard to narrow the gap.
Jackson Pierce found the net under three minutes, assisted by Porter, crucially maintaining momentum after Tampa's Connor McDonough extended their lead. The Sailfish executed several defensive stops, highlighted by Probst's saves, but struggled to convert on offensive opportunities, with some shots going wide and turnovers impacting their efforts. Despite their relentless push as the clock wound down, the Sailfish couldn't close the deficit, finishing the game 12-5.
