ST. LEO - Tony Rosso led the Saint Leo men's soccer team in scoring as a freshman and junior, and ranked second as a sophomore.
And though it took Rosso three games to get on the scoreboard this season, his first goal could not have come at a better time.
Rosso broke a tie in the 84th minute with a penalty kick Wednesday to lead the Lions to a 3-2 win over host North Florida, which had overcome a 2-0 deficit.
Rosso, a senior forward from East Lake who entered the season with 28 career goals and 71 points, nearly scored in the opener. He hit a post in a 1-0 loss to Montevallo (Ala.)
"Even though Tony may not score he draws a lot of attention, which opens opportunities for his teammates," Lions coach Joel Harrison said. "He's got good technique. He knows how to get open."
Rosso's 29 goals place him fifth on the school's all-time list. Heading into tonight's Sunshine State Conference opener at Florida Southern, Rosso is tied for third in team scoring (two points) with Robert Pollock (Hudson).
Tommy Poston leads with five points and Brandon Whitsett (Palm Harbor U.) has three.
Saint Leo (2-1) has consecutive wins, but Harrison said the team has not had a complete effort.
"We actually played very well in the first game, even though we lost," Harrison said. "We haven't played a full 90 minutes. The disappointing part (against UNF) was we kind of stopped playing and let them back in it."
SKID ENDS: The Saint Leo women's soccer team needed overtime to snap a two-game losing streak. The Lions, who lost 1-0 Wednesday at Florida Southern, defeated Florida Tech 2-1 Sunday at Melbourne.
Caron Lumbra scored the winner, converting Casie Poyssick's cross from the right. Poyssick scored her team-leading fifth goal in the second half to tie it at 1.
PHCC DRAWS: A four-match split last week dropped the previously unbeaten Pasco-Hernando Community College volleyball team to 8-2, 2-1 in the Suncoast Conference.
The Conquistadors host St. Petersburg College at 7 tonight and play Polk at Winter Haven at 7 Thursday.
"We started out pretty strong," first-year PHCC coach Kim Whitney said. "I knew that the school had a good record in the past and I Knew Sam (Cibrone, who coached PHCC for four years before leaving for Saint Leo in the offseason) did a good job of recruiting."
PHCC lost to Manatee 3-2 Tuesday and defeated South Florida CC Thursday. Then Sunday at Fort Pierce, PHCC lost 3-1 to Indian River and defeated Palm Beach Atlantic 3-0.
Brazilian sophomores Rafaella Maranhao and Ramona Criste led the Conquistadors over Palm Beach Atlantic. Maranhao had 26 kills and 59 digs; and Criste had 76 assists and 32 digs.
