via press release – photo via FSC web site   LAKELAND, FL – Florida Southern College men’s lacrosse nearly picked off Colorado Mesa, but ultimately fell in a 10-9 loss on Sunday afternoon at Bryant Stadium. The Moccasins (5-4) led by one late in the fourth quarter, but the Mavericks (8-1) scored twice in the final five minutes to grab their fifth-straight win. HOW IT HAPPENED • Florida Southern jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead behind goals from Adam Utter and Seth Leonard in the first five minutes of action. Colorado Mesa pulled within one when it scored with 4:25 to go in the first quarter, but Roy Decker put the Mocs back up by two (3-1) when he scored early in the second period. • Steve Brandenburg would find the net twice for the Mavericks in the second quarter, tying the contest at 3-3 with 1:35 to go in the half. Tyler Kopen found the back of the net for the Moccasins with 47 seconds left to send Florida Southern to the locker room with a 4-3 lead. • The game remained close throughout the third quarter, with Florida Southern answering each time Colorado Mesa would score. However, with less than three minutes to go in the third, the Mavericks would score back-to-back goals to turn a 6-5 deficit into a 7-6 lead. • Colorado Mesa would grab its largest lead of the game (8-6) less than two minutes into the fourth quarter, but Florida Southern reeled off three-straight goals to jump in front by one (9-8). • Two of the Mocs’ three goals came from Colin Bayer and Liam Winwood on man-up opportunities, while the other came after Jeff Phelps won a faceoff and raced into the offensive zone to score. • After Bayer’s goal put Florida Southern up 9-8 with 5:27 to play, the Mavericks wasted no time in tying things up with a goal just 18 seconds later. Colorado Mesa would strike for the game-winner with 2:56 to go, and hung on for the win. • Florida Southern outshot Colorado Mesa 44-37, but committed 20 turnovers. The Moccasins did finish with the edge in ground balls (30-26), face off wins (16-7), and converted 2-of-3 extra-man chances. INSIDE THE NUMBERS • Florida Southern fell to 1-2 all-time against Colorado Mesa, and has dropped two-straight in the series. The Moccasins dropped to 42-31 all-time in home games. • The Mocs held the Mavericks to just 10 goals, 7.5 less than Colorado Mesa’s season average of 17.5, which was good for third nationally entering the day. • Matt Lalli made 16 stops in the loss, marking his seventh double-digit save performance of the season. Through nine games, Lalli has made 124 saves (13.8 spg) and is on pace to break his school record for single-season saves (216). • Tyler Kopen led the Moccasins with two goals, while Seth Leonard tallied a team-high three assists. Seven other players scored a goal, while Bayer and Kevin Dyer each notched an assist. UP NEXT • Florida Southern begins Sunshine State Conference play on March 25 at Saint Leo and travels to Florida Tech on April 1. The Moccasins return home on April 5 against Tampa.