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BOX SCORE

#7 Mocs Roll Past #24 Lions in SSC Opener

LAKELAND, Fla. – No. 7 Florida Southern College women’s lacrosse ran past No. 24 Saint Leo Wednesday night, 22-8 in the team’s Sunshine State Conference opener at Berend Field. At half time, Florida Southern honored and recognized faculty and staff across campus that have impacted each student-athlete.
 
No. 7 Florida Southern (8-3, 1-0 SSC) won its ninth straight league opener as 10 different players scored in the 14-goal victory. The Moccasins’ Jackie Stoller led the way with seven points on four goals and three assists while Madison Tare and Abby McFerren tied for second most with five. Tare scored five goals as McFerren notched a hattrick and assisted two others.
 
Camden Frissora, Elise Alders, and Hannah Hale were all tied with three points for the game as Frissora scored three times, Alders two, and Hale once. Ellie Griffin, Kolby Cohen, and Emma Dudley all found the back of the net on the night as the Moccasins poured in 22 goals.
 
With a group that won 22 of the 34 draw controls, Lauryn Rygiel had a game-high seven ahead of Maria Reeves (4), Kolby Cohen (3), and Harper Muma (3). Olivia Manghisi scooped up a game-high five groundballs as the Moccasins had 29 throughout the four quarters.
 
McKenzie Gaghan moves to 8-3 in goal after playing 47 minutes against the Lions where she tallied six saves in cage.
 
No. 24 Saint Leo (5-4, 0-1 SSC) saw eight different goal scorers. Florida Southern’s defensive core kept the Lions’ attack at bay where Saint Leo’s leading goal scorer, Jana Nuss averaged three goals coming into the game followed by Fiona McLaughlin (2.75) and Briana Bellando (1.88) were all held in check to just one goal a piece on the night.
 
The Mocs used a 7-3 first quarter to jump all over the Lions as Madison Tare scored back-to-back goals to open the game in the first 2:58 of play for a 2-0 lead. Saint Leo cut it to one, but Hannah Hale moved it back to a two-goal lead with her 12^th goal of the season (3-1).
 
Saint Leo would once again cut the deficit but a run of Moc goals by Jackie Stoller, Madison Tare, and Abby McFerren consecutively pushed the home team’s lead to 6-2.  The two teams traded goals as McFerren found Tare for her fourth goal of the quarter and 37^th of the year as Florida Southern took the first frame 7-3.
 
Saint Leo opened the second quarter with two quick goals to make it a 7-5 game, but Florida Southern rallied off six goals to put the game out of reach, 13-5. Stoller, (3), McFerren, Camden Frissora, and Emma Dudley would all score in the run.
 
Just like the second, the Lions opened the third frame with a quick goal but the Mocs ripped off five straight goals to start the running clock thanks to goals from Tare, Frissora (2), McFerren, and Ellie Griffin. Much like the first, both teams scored one more goal in the closing four minutes as Florida Southern cruised to a 19-7 advantage to close the third.
 
Elise Alders and Kaylee Stoky found the net in the final quarter as Florida Southern won the fourth quarter 3-1 and took home the victory 22-8. 
 
No. 7 Florida Southern will enjoy a week off from competition as the Moccasins gear up for a showdown with No. 5 Tampa on Good Friday (March 29). The Mocs and Spartans are scheduled for a 3 p.m. draw at Berend Field.

*****

#24 Women’s Lacrosse Falls to #7 Florida Southern in SSC Opener

by George Hillen | Manager of Athletic Communications

LAKELAND, Fla. – The 24th-ranked Saint Leo women’s lacrosse team lost 22-8 on the road against seventh-ranked Florida Southern in its Sunshine State Conference (SSC) opener on Wednesday night.

At the end of the first quarter, the Mocs held a 7-3 lead. The Lions started to fight back at the start of the second frame as junior Emma Hayhurst scored off dish from classmate Maria Palomba. Saint Leo trimmed its deficit to 7-5 at the 12:13-mark as Palomba found the back of the net this time unassisted in a player-up situation. However, Florida Southern were able to grasp a 13-5 advantage at halftime.
In the third quarter, the Lion scored a pair of goals, first from sophomore Jana Nuss followed by classmate Sophia Wood. In the fourth, freshman Briana Bellando laced a goal with four minutes remaining in the game.  

Palomba led the Lions with one goal and one assist while Nuss, Hayhhurst, and Bellando each posted a score. Senior Cassidy Passaro tallied an assist while senior Fiona McLaughlin, sophomore Marina Dean, and junior Ava Valenti each recorded goals. Palomba and freshman Abby Richards caused turnovers. Additionally, Dean, freshman Katie Lind and sophomore Jessica Harclerode each grabbed two ground balls.

In the net, Harclerode recorded 11 saves and logged 50 minutes of action.

The Lions return to the field on Saturday, March 23 when they host Montevallo at 1 p.m.