#16 Mocs Stifle Panthers on Senior Night

LAKELAND, Fla. – The 16^th-ranked Florida Southern men's lacrosse team had to wait an extra two and a half hours Saturday night to face the Florida Tech Panthers in the Moccasins' final home game of 2023. Due to lightning in the area, the originally scheduled 7 p.m. start was delayed until 9:30 but a capacity crowd stuck around to cheer on the 23 seniors and the rest of the Moccasins who captured a tough 15-12 victory over the Panthers.
 
The Mocs, who originally planned to honor their seniors in a postgame ceremony, made the decision to move the Senior Night ceremony indoors to the Jenkins Field House where the 23 seniors plus senior manager Madi Wood were honored in a pregame ceremony prior to the weather delay expiring.  
 
Once the Mocs and Panthers were allowed to take the field, it was all Mocs early as FSC scored four goals in the opening three-plus minutes of action. The Panthers would rally to tie the game at 4-4 just over a minute into the second quarter. The Panthers took their first lead of the contest less than a minute later at 5-4 with 12:44 left in the first half. The Mocs closed out the half out-scoring the Panthers 4-1 to take an 8-6 halftime lead.
 
The Panthers came out strong in the second half and out-scored the Mocs 4-2 over the third period to tie the game at 10-10 heading into the final frame. The Mocs and Panthers traded goals over the opening five minutes of the fourth before a 4-0 run by the Mocs over a six-plus minute period gave FSC a 15-11 lead with just over two minutes remaining. The Panthers tacked on one more late goal for the final tally 15-12.
 
Sophomore Matt Flammenspeck led the Moccasin effort with six points off of four goals and a pair of assists. Freshman Nolan Tighe chipped in four goals of his own and an assist for a five-point day. Senior Sean Nolan got rolling again with a three goal, two assist night to finish with five points as well. Junior Kaleb Cook was the only other multiple goal scorer as he finished with two scores on the night.
 
Seniors Zac Fitzgerald and Nick Shannon led the defensive effort with three caused turnovers each while junior goalkeeper Michael Simone earned his ninth victory of the season while making nine saves and moving to 9-2 on the year.
 
Freshman Luke Henricksen took all 31 face offs for the Mocs and finished 14-of-31 (.452) on the night with a team-best nine ground balls.
 
The Mocs will be back in action next Saturday, April 22 as they close out the 2023 regular season on the road at Palm Beach Atlantic.
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