Florida Southern jumped out to an early lead in front of a good crowd at The First Academy in Orlando with three first-quarter goals. Corey Brown got the scoring started when he hustled to a ground ball at the midfield line and headed to the pipes. With Chas LaDue controlling the ball at the face off X they added goals by Kevin Naslonski and the 6′ 7″ transfer, Ike Hopper. Hopper and Jordan Manger picked up the assists.

Only three minutes and forty-two seconds into the second quarter the Mocs looked to be running away with it when A.J. Monteleone took a pass from Jon Freda and ripped a shot just under the crossbar from way outside to make it four to nothing. The Rollins wingmen picked up their game on the face offs and allowed Eric Schmit and Peter Harvey to begin dominating at the face off X, giving Rollins several extra possessions. They took advantage and finished the half by scoring five goals. Devers made a great play on a loose ball in the Tara’s offensive end of the field and potted one to get the Tars going. James Libutti made a fantastic inside roll as he pushed the ball from behind the net and scored another. Ike Hopper answered for Florida Southern with a great behind the back shot while the Mocs were man down to keep his team out in front.

But the Tars got rolling again scoring three times in just over a minute. Austin Ricci and James Libutti each scored on the extra man offense to close within one. Ricci tied it up when he shot a laser off of a feed from Libutti with just over three minutes left. Hopper stopped the bleeding for the Mocs on a goal late in the half to give Florida Southern a one-goal lead going into half-time.

The third quarter was very evenly played with Rollins controlling the face-offs again early in the third.   Deavers scored off of an assist by Libutti on the extra man to get it knotted up at 6. Four minutes later Thompson scored the first of what was to be four second-half goals to get FSC out in front again.

Ricci responded with a goal with five minutes left in the third quarter to tie it at seven. But that was to be the last threat from Rollins. The fourth quarter belonged to Mat Thompson. He scored three unanswered goals in the fourth with two of them coming only four seconds apart to put the game on ice.

Adam Ismaiel looked great for Florida Southern clearing the ball with some great speed. New head coach at Rollins, RJ Rossi, has got to be pleased with the solid play of his defensive unit for most of the game. This was a hotly contested Deep South Conference battle and was a great start to the season. The folks at The First Academy had the field in great shape for the event which benefited the Wounded Warriors Project. A fantastic and enthusiastic crowd had good representation from both schools and the weather was near perfect for the game.

Rollins plays Saint Leo in another in-state Deep South Conference match up next Saturday, February 19^th at home. The face-off is at noon. The Mocs travel to N.C. for a two-game road trip next weekend taking on Wingate on Friday the 18^th and St. Andrews Presbyterian on Sunday the 20^th.