via Flagler press release/website

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – No. 10 (IWLCA Division II Top 25) Flagler College was selected to compete in the 16-team NCAA Division II Women’s Lacrosse Tournament. The first round begins on Friday at the University of Tampa’s Naimoli Family Athletic Complex.

Flagler (17-1) is the No. 3 seed in the four-team South Region and will take on No. 2 seed, and No. 6-ranked, Florida Southern College (16-3) at 3 p.m. The host school, Tampa (17-2) takes on No. 4-seed Rollins College (15-3) at 11 a.m. The two winners will meet on Sunday (May 14) at noon. The national semifinals and finals will be played May 19-21 at Key Stadium at Indianapolis.

The Saints are making their first appearance at the national tournament. The second-year program won the Gulf South Conference regular and post-season titles. Flagler is the first GSC institution to make the NCAA Division II Tournament field in women’s lacrosse. The Saints are riding a 15-match winning streak.

Keying Flagler’s attack is redshirt senior Lexie Morton. The Milton, Georgia native was the GSC Player of the Year as well as the GSC Tournament’s Most Outstanding Player. She has scored 70 goals and tallied 15 assists for 85 points. Morton is fourth in the nation in free-position goals per game (1.41), fifth in shots per game (8.24), sixth in goals per game (4.12), and ninth in goals. Ella Pinder was the GSC Freshman of the Year after scoring 27 goals, tallying 11 assists, and winning 73 draw controls. Also earning All-GSC honors were sophomore defender Jenn Seebach, sophomore goalkeeper Lauren Ribadeneira, freshman attacker Carley Tepel, freshman midfielder Jessica Wright, sophomore midfielder Katelyn Trainor, and sophomore midfielder Kenzie Dillon. Grant Kelam was named the GSC Coach of the Year.

The Moccasins finished second in the Sunshine State Conference and lost to Tampa 17-16 in the SSC Tournament final. Florida Southern has a strong tradition having won it all in 2016 and was the national runners-up in 2017 and 2018.

Florida Southern is led by a trio of All-SSC players in Jackie Stoller, Madison Tare, and Hailey Daleo. Stoller, a graduate transfer from Lehigh University and the SSC Player of the Year, led the team with 60 goals and 36 assists. Tare, a senior attacker, has scored 52 goals with 15 assists. Daleo, a graduate transfer from Stony Brook University, has scored 54 goals. Other All-SSC honorees are Lizzy Lynch, Abby McFerren, and Gina Verrone.

Tare and Stoller are third and fourth, nationally, in free-position percentage at .783 and .760, respectively. Stoller is sixth in the country in points (96).

Although the two teams have yet to meet, they have shared common opponents this year.

Flagler beat Florida Tech 18-6 and Florida Southern beat them 20-11
Flagler defeated Embry-Riddle 16-11 while Florida Southern won 26-14
Flagler beat Notre Dame (Ohio) 18-7 and Florida Southern beat them 20-7
Flagler defeated Saint Leo 18-11 while Florida Southern won 17-10
Flagler rolled over Palm Beach Atlantic 20-8 and Florida Southern cruised to a 21-6 win
Flagler beat Lee 21-12 and Florida Southern won 15-9
Flagler edged Lynn 12-11 in overtime while Florida Southern won 21-10
Flagler defeated UAH 15-12 and Florida Southern won 20-14

Flagler is 6-4 all-time against SSC competition and has won all five games this year.        

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