Box Score LAKELAND - Florida Southern's fourth quarter rally fell just short here Saturday afternoon as the Moccasins suffered a hard-fought 11-10 loss to Rollins in Sunshine State Conference action at Bryant Stadium.
The Mocs, who trailed 11-7 with a little under six minutes left in the fourth quarter, scored three consecutive goals in a span of two-plus minutes and had three shots on goal in the final 35 seconds to send the game into overtime against the Tars.
With the loss, FSC fell to 8-7 overall and 1-2 in the SSC, while Rollins improved to 8-4 overall and 2-1 in the SSC. The loss was FSC's second straight as they fell 22-7 last Friday at third-ranked Tampa.
Entering the fourth quarter, the Mocs trailed 10-6 after Rollins scored five goals in the third quarter and held the Mocs to just one goal after the game was tied 5-all at the half.The Mocs opened the fourth quarter with a goal by sophomore midfielder Lucas Claude (Calgary, Alberta) just 24 seconds into the quarter to pull FSC within 10-7.
Rollins, though, would answer Claude's goal with a goal by Morgan Baker with 5:45 left in the game to give the Tars an 11-7 lead. From that point, the Mocs began their comeback as junior attacker Tyler Kopen (Wynnewood, Pa.) took a pass from sophomore attacker Colin Bayer (Merrick, N.Y.) to score the Mocs eighth goal of the game and his 32nd goal of the season. Kopen's score came with 4:14 left in the game.
On the ensuing face-off, freshman midfielder Joseph Biondi, Jr. (Orange, Conn.) picked up the ground ball and after a shot by Kopen was wide, junior attacker Cody Dyer (Slingerlands, N.Y.) would score an unassisted goal with 3:25 left in the game to pull the Mocs within 11-9.
The Mocs would find the net once again nearly two minutes later as freshman midfielder Nick Gutmann (Long Island, N.Y.) took a pass from Dyer and found the net for his 13th goal of the season and its 10th goal of the game. Gutmann's score dropped Rollins' lead to 11-10.
In the final 35 seconds of the game, Dyer and Kopen each had shots on goal that went wide, while a final shot attempt right before the buzzer by Dyer was saved by Rollins goalie William Doyle to seal the Tars' second ever win over the Mocs. The Mocs entered the game holding a 7-1 edge all-time in the series and 4-0 against the Tars in Lakeland.
Claude continued to pace the Moccasin offense as he scored a season high tying five goals, while Gutmann added two goals for the Mocs. Claude has now scored 35 goals this season, which is tied for fourth on the school's single season list.
For the game, the Mocs held a decided edge in shots - 51-35, including a 27-14 edge in shots after halftime. FSC, though was outshot, 29-23, in shots on goal.
Dyer paced the Mocs with a season high 14 shots, while Kopen finished with 13 shots and Claude recorded 12 shots in the game. Those three players combined to take 39 of FSC's 51 shots.
Rollins opened the game's scoring with back-to-back unassisted goals from Baker and Greg Taicher in the opening two-plus minutes. The Mocs, though, would answer with two goals of their own by Claude and sophomore midfielder Cody Gray (Riverview, Fla.) to tie the game at 2.
After Baker and Claude scored goals for their respective teams to tie the game at 3, Rollins' Jack Vonarb scored an unassisted goal right at the buzzer to give the Tars a 4-3 lead after the first quarter.
Justin Diamond gave the Tars a 5-3 lead just a little under six minutes into the second quarter, before Claude scored two straight goals to help the Mocs tie the game at 5 at the half.
In the third quarter, the Mocs took the lead on a goal with 11:49 left in the quarter by Gutmann, but the Tars would rally to score five consecutive goals over the final 10 minutes of the quarter to give Rollins its 10-6 lead after three quarters.
While Claude scored five goals the Mocs, Baker tallied five goals for the Tars, while Diamond and Taicher each had two goals in the win. Baker, Diamond and Taicher combined for 20 of RC's 35 shots for the game.
Both teams finished 12-for-24 on face-offs as Biondi, Jr., paced the Mocs as he was 12-for-22, while Rollins' Alex Petsos was 9-for-18.
FSC also held a 37-23 edge on ground balls as senior midfielder Tyler Novak (Holbrook, N.Y.) and junior goalie Matt Lalli (New Milford, Conn.) each had five in the loss. Rollins was paced by four ground balls by Lucas Brush.
Lalli took the loss in goal for the Mocs as he played all 60 minutes and recorded 18 saves and allowed 11 goals.
Doyle (1-0), who made his first start in goal for the Tars, finished with 13 saves, three ground balls and allowed 10 goals in 60 minutes of action.
The Mocs will take a week off before returning to action on Saturday, April 16 as they travel to Boca Raton for a 7 p.m. at 18th-ranked Lynn.
