#16 FSC Defeats Lynn 19-14 – Both Recaps
via the school’s press releases
#16 Florida Southern Uses Explosive Fourth Quarter to Down Lynn
LAKELAND, Fla. – The 16th-ranked Florida Southern men’s lacrosse team got off to a slow start Saturday afternoon as the Lynn Fighting Knights jumped all over the host Moccasins, outscoring the hosts 6-1 over the opening 15 minutes of action. The Mocs slowly worked their way back into the game before an explosive fourth quarter turned the tides as FSC outscored Lynn 11-1 in the period to earn a 19-14 Sunshine State Conference opening victory.
The victory moves Florida Southern to 6-3 on the season including 1-0 in SSC play while the Fighting Knights fell to 2-6 overall and 0-1 in league play.
Senior Kevin Horwitz dominated in the fourth at the X as he won all 12 face-offs in the period in route to 25-of-35 day in the middle. The senior also assisted on a goal and picked up a game-high 12 ground balls.
After getting off to a slow start, the Florida Southern offense found its rhythm as the game went along. Freshman Matt Flammenspeck, who had scored five total goals over the opening eight games of the season, doubled his season total in goals with five against the Fighting Knights to lead the way for FSC. The Calgary, Alberta native also picked up an assist to finish with six points on the day. He took a total of eight shots including seven on frame while causing one turnover.
Junior Sean Nolan led the team in points as he finished with four goals, three assists and seven points. He also led the way with 16 total shots, double his next highest teammate. He found the frame eight times and picked up six ground balls.
The assists leader for Saturday’s contest was junior Kevin Dyer who handed out four helpers to go along with his two goals. The Slingerlands, N.Y. native posted seven shots including five on frame while causing a turnover and picking up a pair of ground balls.
In goal, junior Maxwell Freestone earned the start and picked up eight saves in the victory. He is now 4-2 on the year in-between the pipes.
Matthew Ilchuk led the Fighting Knights with three goals while four others had two goals each.
Florida Southern out-shot Lynn 61-32 including 35-22 in shots on goal. In the dominant fourth quarter, the Mocs out-shot the Fighting Knights 24-6 including 16-4 in shots on goal.
The Fighting Knights jumped all over the Mocs in the opening 15 minutes of action, scoring the opening six goals of the game before FSC netted a tally with just under four minutes left in the period. Trailing 6-1 after 15 minutes of action, the Mocs scored two of the first three goals of the second quarter but Lynn would score the final two goals of the period to take a 9-3 lead into the halftime break.
Following the break, the Mocs came out on fire scoring five-straight goals over the opening seven-plus minutes of action. The run cut the deficit to just one but Lynn was not done as the Fighting Knights responded with a four-goal spurt of their own to end the period up 13-8.
With the game on the line, Florida Southern came out determined to claim the victory. FSC scored five goals over the opening five minutes of the period to tie the game at 13-13 with 10:01 left in the contest. With momentum fully on the Florida Southern sideline, the onslaught would continue as FSC eventually scored 11-straight in the period to hold a commanding 19-13 lead with just 3:40 left in the game. Lynn scored one more goal on a man-up situation but that would be all the Fighting Knights could muster as the Mocs hung on for the 19-14 victory.
The Mocs will return to action this Tuesday, March 22 at 7 p.m. as they host their final non-conference opponent of the regular season as Frostburg State visits Berend Field. FSU received votes in the most recent USILA Top-20 Poll.
*****
Fighting Knights lose close game to Mocs
Lakeland, Florida – Coming off of a win vs Flagler, the Fighting Knights lose their first in conference game to Florida Southern. After leading 6-0 early on, the Fighting Knights lost to the Mocs 19-14.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
Score: Florida Southern 19 Lynn 14
Records: Lynn (2-6, 0-1 SSC) Florida Southern (6-3, 1-0)
Series History: Lynn trails 2-5
Location: Berend Field | Lakeland, Florida
Get Social: Twitter – @Lynn_Knights | Instagram – @Lynn_Knights | Facebook – /LynnFightingKnights
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- The Fighting Knights opened up the scoring this afternoon as they jumped to a 6-0 lead in the first 12 minutes.
- Jalen Stanton opened the scoring on the man up from Joseph Michalski, :40 seconds in. Connor Koppelman scored just :42 seconds later from Matthew Ilchuk. Daniel Luette added a goal for Lynn, his first of the season was unassisted. Ilchuk proceeded to add a goal for Lynn with 8:01 left in the first. Xander Cosenza scored the fifth goal in a row for the Fighting Knights from Stanton. Lastly, Stanton scored his second of the game from Tommy Ruddo for Lynn to take a 6-0 lead.
- Up 6-2 in the second, Ilchuk added another goal for Lynn, unassisted.
- About three minutes later, Ilchuk notched a hat trick on the man up from Cosenza.
- With 2:05 left in the half, Caleb Wells scored from Ilchuk for Lynn to be up 9-3 at the half.
- After the Mocs scored five straight, the Fighting Knights added four straight.
- While up 9-8, Koppelman scored with 5:36 left in the third. Cosenza scored for Lynn with 2:08 left from Stanton. Ruddo added an unassisted goal with 1:47 left for the Fighting Knights. Michalski scored the final goal for Lynn in the quarter with three seconds left for a 13-8 lead.
- While trailing five, the Mocs scored 11 straight to go up 19-3.
- Wells added his second goal on the man up from Ruddo, but the Fighting Knights would lose 19-14.
- Ilchuk led the Fighting Knights with three goals and two assists.
- Stanton had two goals and two assists but led Lynn with four shots on net.
- Cosenza and Ruddo both had three points.
- Koppelman, Wells, and Michalski had two points each. Koppelman and Wells had two goals; Michalski had a goal and an assist.
- Colin Casey had 16 saves on 35 shots on goal.
UP NEXT:
The Fighting Knights return home to play vs Newberry in Boca Raton, Florida on Saturday, Mar. 26th at 12 P.M.
About the Lynn University Fighting Knights
Lynn’s NCAA Division II Fighting Knights have won 25 national titles, 14 individual national titles, and 47 conference championships. The Blue and White are a member of the Sunshine State Conference, the Division II “Conference of National Champions.” Lynn University is an independent college based in Boca Raton, Florida. U.S. News & World Report has recognized Lynn for its innovation, international students and value. To keep up to date on Lynn Athletics, follow @Lynn_Knights on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
