SAINT LEO, Fla. - No. 15 Florida Tech (9-6) was outscored, 10-4, by No. 9 Tampa (14-4) in the fourth quarter of their Sunshine State Conference semifinal matchup Thursday afternoon, and the Spartans went on to win 19-12 at Saint Leo's University Turf Stadium.
 
UT advances to Sunday's SSC championship game to play the winner of the second semifinal between Saint Leo and Rollins College.
 
Reid Chaconas led all players in the game with five goals. Logan Sweeney recorded a hat trick and two ground balls, while three other Panthers tallied one goal apiece. Tommy Bowser dished out a pair of assists.
 
Addison Abramson paced FIT with four ground balls and three caused turnovers. Thomas Gribben collected three ground balls and a caused turnover. Daniel Flock started in goal for the Panthers but lasted just a quarter against the Spartans after he made three saves and allowed 10 goals. Jake Hahn came in relief of Flock and finished with 10 saves over the final three quarters.
 
Tampa ended the matchup with more shots, 43-33, and ground balls, 46-28. UT also won 27-of-35 faceoffs in the game.
 
The Spartans outscored Florida Tech, 5-0, in the opening frame to take a sizable lead into the second quarter.
 
After Andrew Kew gave UT a 6-0 advantage, Chaconas found the back of the net to cut the Panthers' deficit to five goals. Chaconas scored his second goal 3:57 later to make it a 7-2 game with 8:42 to go in the first half.
 
Following a tally by Tampa, the Crimson & Gray closed the half on a 3-0 run, on goals by Sweeney, Carson Clough and Tyler Oblong, and went into the intermission trailing by three, 8-5.
 
The Panthers outscored the Spartans, 3-1, in the third period, including a goal by Sweeney with 12 seconds left, to make the score 9-8 heading into the fourth.
 
Tampa scored four quick goals to open the fourth quarter and pushed its lead to 13-8. FIT tallied four of the next six goals, including three by Chaconas, to trim the margin to 16-12 with 7:24 remaining. 
 
However, UT shut the door from there, closing the game with three more goals to earn its fifth consecutive appearance in the SSC Final.
 
With its season likely at an end, Florida Tech will now prepare for the 2019 campaign. The Panthers will be formidable next season as they lose just seven seniors and return the majority of their core players across all positions. 
 
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