Box Score LAKELAND, FL - A series of late heroics led Florida Southern College women's lacrosse to a thrilling, 12-11 overtime victory against visiting Florida Tech on Saturday at Bryant Stadium.
The No. 4 Moccasins (13-2, 2-0 SSC) scored with nine second to go in regulation to send the game to overtime, and Shannon Mazza put home the game-winner less than a minute into the extra period to pick up a massive Sunshine State Conference win against the No. 10 Panthers.
HOW IT HAPPENED
• Florida Southern got on the board first when Meghan O'Brien found the back of the net less than two minutes into the contest. After Florida Tech tied it at 1-1 just three minutes later, the Moccasins seized control by scoring three-straight goals to take a 4-1 lead with 21:49 to go in the first half.
• The Panthers responded by scoring three-straight goals of their own to tie things at 4-4 and regain the momentum with 10:47 to play in the half. The Moccasins were able to get on the board three more times before the half, and held the Panthers scoreless over the remainder of the first half to take a 7-4 lead into the locker room.
• Kendall Kerge gave Florida Southern its largest lead of the game (8-4) when she opened the second half with a free-position goal just 53 seconds into the second period. The Panthers and Mocs would trade goals over the next 20 minutes until Dani Bursinger gave Florida Southern what seemed to be a comfortable 10-7 lead with 8:49 to play.
• However, Florida Tech would reel off four-straight goals to take an 11-10 lead with 4:10 on the clock and put the Moccasins' backs against the wall. After Cayla Shawfield's free-position shot was saved with just 21 seconds left, Shannon Gilfedder found a small opening in the defense and shoveled a pass to Kerge, who scored with nine seconds on the clock to send the game to overtime.
• In overtime, Florida Southern won the opening draw and was granted a free-position attempt after a series of Florida Tech fouls. Shannon Mazza lined up with 2:08 in the first overtime period, and raced in to fire off what ended up being the game-winning shot to lift the Moccasins to their 10th-straight victory.
• Florida Southern was outshot 34-21, but Moccasin goalie Taylor Gillis made a career-high 17 saves to keep the Mocs in the contest.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
• Florida Southern improved to 4-0 all-time against Florida Tech, including 3-0 at Bryant Stadium. The Moccasins also moved to 58-11 all-time in home games, and picked up their 10th-straight win, tying the second-best win streak in program history.
• The win was Florida Southern's first overtime victory in just over a year. The team's last overtime win came in a 10-9 victory over Lindenwood on March 31 of last year.
• Megan O'Brien finished with a team-best four goals in the game, while Kerge and Shawfield each scored twice. Emily Santoli and Sannon Gilfedder each tallied two assists.
• The Moccasins finished 4-of-6 on free-position shots, and held the Panthers to just 3-of-9. Gillis made six of her 17 saves on free-position shots.
UP NEXT
• Florida Southern will travel to Tampa on Saturday, April 8, and returns home to face Rollins on April 11. The Moccasins final regular-season home game comes on April 14 against Lenoir-Rhyne, before the team wraps up the regular season on April 22 at Limestone.
