thanks to Travis Larner, Athletic Communications Assistant – Florida Southern College for this press release   CHARLES, Mo. – The Florida Southern women’s lacrosse team will look to continue its record-breaking season in its NCAA Championship Tournament debut tomorrow against Lindenwood (Mo.). The Moccasins (19-3) have already made history with a program-best 19 wins, by winning the Sunshine State Conference regular-season title with a perfect 4-0 record, and by smashing a host of individual and team records along the way. However, simply making the national championship tournament isn’t enough to satisfy the Mocs, ranked sixth in the latest Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) Division II Top 20 poll. They have their eyes set on avenging the heartbreaking 9-8 loss they suffered at the hands of the Lions in March. “We’ve had a good week of practices, and we’re focused and we know what we need to do,” said fourth-year head coach Kara Reber. “We are definitely excited about the opportunity to play tomorrow in the NCAA Tournament.” “It hurt us last time that we lost that close, but I think we are a lot more mentally prepared this time,” said senior attacker Caitlin Chase (Mt. Laurel, N.J.). “I think we know what our mistakes were last time and that we’ve learned from them.” “We have a chance to redeem ourselves and that is what we are going to do,” added senior midfielder Lorianne Hoover (Annapolis, Md.) According to Reber, playing the third-ranked Lions (18-1) for a second on the road this season works in her team’s favor. “The familiarity of having been here before is definitely more comforting than being in a different environment where we don’t know what to expect,” she said. No one has to remind senior captains Chase, Hoover and Megan Asper (Parkton, Md.) about the magnitude of Saturday’s game. Even with the excitement of having reached the NCAA Tournament for the first time in their decorated careers, a loss would bring those careers to an end. “We’ve tried to implement that mindset into our team as a whole,” Hoover said. “A loss means that’s it for us (seniors), but that’s it for us as a team this season. Just play the game like it’s your last because it is potentially our last.” Lindenwood boasts the highest-scoring offense in Division II with an average of 16.79 goals per game and FSC follows closely behind with the fourth-best offense (15.77). Individually, the “Big 3” of Asper, Chase and Hoover combine for the highest-scoring trio of teammates in the country. Despite all of the offense, Reber believes defense could decide the game. “I think that defense is going to play a huge roll in this game,” Reber said. “I think that both teams will battle it out defensively. All of our players’ jobs will be more important on the defensive end.” “We’re going to have to rely on our defense, which I think has been really good lately, but also on (goalkeeper Ashley Seborowski) making some good saves,” Asper said. On the backend, the Mocs lead Division II in caused turnover per game (13.64) and are 11th in scoring defense (7.68). In addition, Hoover and fellow All-South Region First Team honoree Gabby Barowski (Alexandria, Va.) both rank inside the Top 10 in caused turnovers. The SSC co-Freshman of the Year and an All-SSC First Team selection, Seborowski (Annapolis, Md.) leads the nation with a .549 save percentage and is seventh with a 7.28 goals-against average. She made a season-high 14 saves in the losing effort the first time against the Lions. The Moccasin defense will have to contend with First-Team All-South Region attacker Melissa Menchella. Menchella leads the nation’s top offense with 62 goals and 83 points. But the possessions start at the draw and fellow All-South First Teamer Bailey Knapton. She leads the Lions, the national leader with over 16 draw controls per game, with 98 draw wins. Named the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year, Knapton won a game-high five draws and the Lions outgained the Mocs, 12-7, in that category in March. The Moccasins and Lions face off from the Harlen C. Hunter Stadium on the campus of Lindenwood at 1 p.m. ET (12 p.m. CT). Video and live stats can be found onwww.FSCMocs.com.   Travis Larner Athletic Communications Assistant Florida Southern College 111 Lake Hollingsworth Dr. Lakeland, FL 33801 E: tlarner@flsouthern.edu P: 863-680-4256