LAKELAND, Fla. – The No. 4 Florida Southern College women's lacrosse team defeated No. 7 Rollins College by a final score of 17-15 in a top-10 matchup at Berend Field on Saturday afternoon.
The Moccasins (11-2, 2-1 SSC) handed the visiting Tars (12-1, 2-1 SSC) their first loss of the season behind a solid performance from starting goalkeeper
Sydney O'Neill, who earned her first career victory.
O'Neill made several crucial stops, including two in the final quarter of play to keep the Mocs ahead late in the game.
Jackie Stoller had another standout performance, scoring six goals with a pair of assists to match her career-high points total. The six goals were a new career high for the senior.
Junior
Abby McFerren filled the stat sheet as well, notching five assists while scoring two goals. She also recorded three caused turnovers, three ground balls, and four draw control victories in a well-rounded performance.
Graduate student
Hailey Daleo was razor-sharp as well, tallying four goals with an assist on the afternoon, three of which came in the first half, helping to reinvigorate the offense after a back-and-forth start to the game.
The Tars took the first lead of the game with a goal in the opening minute, and the sides would exchange goals for the remainder of the first quarter.
Jackie Stoller scored twice while
Lizzy Lynch added a tally to make the score 4-3 at the end of the first quarter.
Rollins opened up its largest lead of the game with consecutive goals to make it 6-3, but Florida Southern responded with four straight tallies to take a lead that they wouldn't relinquish.
Daleo opened the scoring run for the Moccasins to trim the deficit, and
Abby McFerren tallied in back-to-back minutes to tie the game at six. Daleo's second of the game gave the Moccasins their first lead with just under five minutes to play in the first half.
The Tars got one back towards the end of the frame, but consecutive goals from Daleo and
Giana Murphy gave Florida Southern a 9-7 lead headed into the second half.
Rollins kept the game close coming out of the break with a goal in the opening minute of the third quarter. Daleo responded to make it a two-goal game once again before the Tars answered. Stoller scored her third of the game and
Madison Tare followed suit to make it 12-9.
The teams traded goals over the course of the next several minutes, with Murphy and Stoller tallying to make it 14-11 with under five minutes to play in the third quarter.
The Tars seemed poised to make a comeback bid late in the frame with another goal, but a critical draw control win followed by Stoller's fifth goal of the game gave the Moccasins a comfortable three-goal lead heading into the final quarter.
Stoller scored to open the fourth quarter, making it 16-12 with her career-high sixth goal on the day. The Tars responded with a pair of quick strikes to bring the deficit back to just two. Lynch scored with just over five minutes left in the game and despite another goal from the visitors, the Mocs were able to hang on and win it 17-15.
Draw controls were important down the stretch, as the Moccasins won the battle in the draw circle 19-16 over the course of the contest.
With the win, Florida Southern earns its eighth victory over a ranked opponent this season as they turn their attention to the remainder of the conference schedule.
The Moccasins will return to action on the road as they battle No. 20 Saint Leo University at 7 p.m. on Wednesday night.
