Posted: Apr 20, 2024
Tech Outscores Seminoles in SELC Semi Finals
Florida State
(,)
16
Georgia Tech
(12-3, 6-1)
17
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Florida State (,) | 3 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 16 |
|
Georgia Tech (12-3, 6-1) | 5 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 17 |
The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets faced the Florida State Seminoles in an SELC semifinal matchup. The teams met at the Bolles School in Jacksonville, Florida in a rematch of a 2023 quarterfinal game. The game started with the Seminoles scoring the first two goals of the game roughly two minutes apart.
The Jackets answered back when Asher Wagnon got to the middle of the field and scored. Pierce Quarles tied the game three minutes later when he was fed by Andrew Belli. Ben Skopicki won the ensuing faceoff and pushed it forward and scored a goal himself. Skopicki was dominant at the faceoff dot all day winning 29 of 33 faceoffs on the day. The Seminoles would tie the game at three, but Matt Seifert got to the middle of the field and fired home a shot to nudge the Jackets ahead once again, Brooks Baro found Andrew Belli as the first quarter buzzer sounded to give the Jackets a 5-3 lead after one.
As expected the prideful Seminole program would not relent and tied the game early in the second quarter. As the second quarter wore on the Seminoles offense found a spark and built a lead of 8-5. Matt Seifert ran off a pick and got to the middle to score a goal with a flag down. On the ensuing extra man opportunity, Pierce Quarles fed Asher Wagnon who stung the corner with a shot with only 29 seconds remaining in the half. As the first half came to a close, Pierce Quarles fed a cutting Michael Grosso to tie the game with three seconds left.
The Jackets opened the second half on a heater. Pierce Quarles fed Joseph Rose in early offense to put the Jackets ahead by one and Brooks Baro scored on a fast break off of the ensuing faceoff on a feed from Skopicki. The Seminoles answered back with consecutive goals of their own. Pierce Quarles responded with back to back goals before finding Joseph Rose again. Curran Myers found Joseph Rose with 18 seconds left to give the Jackets a 14-12 lead.
The Jackets cashed in on an extra man opportunity to open the fourth quarter when Quarles found Rose once again. Brooks Baro added another goal to put the Jackets ahead 16-12. The Seminoles scored shortly thereafter as the Jackets tried to manage the clock through the fourth quarter. The brutal Florida heat affected both teams late in the game as it became somewhat sloppy. The Seminoles continued to chip away at the Jackets' lead. The Seminoles pulled within one goal with 2:40 left in the game. Skopicki won the next faceoff and the Jackets managed the shot clock. Michael Grosso scooped up a rebound and fought to the middle of the field and scored to put the Jackets ahead by two. The Seminoles added another goal with 34 seconds remaining, but the Jackets won the faceoff and were able to kill the clock.
Peter Zagrobelny finished with 10 saves in the goal for the Jackets.
With the win, the Jackets will advance the SELC Championship game against the Florida Gators on Sunday. This will mark the fourth consecutive appearance in the championship game for the Jackets.
