Box Score
Jon Freda and Mat Thompson each netted three goals, while Andrew Almansberger made six saves, as Florida Southern defeated Saint Leo 14-10 Saturday night at Bryant Stadium. With the win the Moccasins clinched the #2 seed in the South Region of the Deep South Conference Tournament and will host Saint Leo in the first round Tuesday night at 7 p.m.
Florida Southern (8-5; 6-2 DSC) got off to a fast start, as Chas LaDue won the opening faceoff. On the ensuing possession Ricky DeMicco picked up a ground ball in front of the cage and scored to give the Mocs a 1-0 lead. Minutes later, Adam Ismaeil drove the length of the field and scored an unassisted goal. On the Mocs' next possession Freda scored his 12th goal of the season to give the Mocs a 3-0 lead six minutes into the game. The Lions got on the board as Chris Caiazza connected with Kevin Hutchinson for a goal. The Mocs responded, as Freda scored his second goal of the game to give the Mocs a 4-1 lead. Saint Leo scored a late goal to cut the lead to 4-2 after the opening quarter.
Dane Sorensen and DeMicco scored back-to-back goals to start the second quarter and extend the Mocs lead to 6-2. The Lions scored two of the next three goals to cut the lead to 7-4. Sorensen scored his 26th goal of the season with 23 seconds remaining in the first half. Dan Krispinsky won the ensuing faceoff and DeMicco found Sorensen for a goal just before the buzzer to give the Mocs a 9-4 lead at the break.
In the third quarter Saint Leo (7-6; 4-4 DSC) scored back-to-back-goals to cut the lead to 9-6, then the Moccasins scored three unanswered goals to take a 12-6 lead after three quarters. Freda had a part in all three goals, scoring one and assisting the other two.
In the fourth quarter, Florida Southern took advantage of a Lions' penalty as Shane Tompkins found Thompson for a man-up goal. Saint Leo scored four of the final five goals of the game for the 14-10 final.
The Moccasins have won five straight games, the longest win streak in program history, breaking the prevous streak of fourset in 2009. They also have tied a program-high with eight wins in a season, which was set last year.
Freda led the Moccasins with six points, while Thompson, Sorensen, and DeMicco each tallied three.
Almansberger finished the game with a team high five ground balls, while Larry Gress tallied three caused turnovers and four ground balls. Chase Juelich and Spencer Parry combined for five ground balls and one caused turnover. The Moccasins' defense held the Lions scoreless on eight man-up opportunities.
