LAKELAND, Fla. – No. 7 Florida Southern College women's lacrosse took to Berend Field Saturday afternoon for their Senior Day game against No. 14 Bentley University, and left the field with a 17-8 victory.
The Mocs rise to 7-3 with their third-straight win, while the Falcons shift to 1-3.
Before the game, Florida Southern honored five student-athletes, including Gabriella Connelly, Hannah Hale, Ryan Kelly, Emma Dudley, and Abby McFerren, as part of the Senior Day festivities. Â
McKenzie Gaghan started in the net for Florida Southern, making five stops before swapping out with Rylie Rittberg in the second half. Rittberg led the defense with seven saves.
Hale led the offense for the Mocs, scoring four goals and two assists for a game-high of six points. Madison Tare followed up with three shots finding the back of the net and an assist for four points and earning her 200th career point in the process. Jackie Stoller and Dudley both netted two goals for the Mocs. McFerren, Sammy Gorrasi, Jenna Vetter, Danielle Mojsej, Elise Alders, and Camden Frissora each contributed an additional goal for the winning score of 17.
The first frame opened with the Falcons winning the draw control at the start, but an early save put control of the ball back in the Mocs' hands. Taking it to the Falcons' side of the field, Dudley scored the first goal of the game, assisted by Hale. Stoller followed soon after with the second tally of the contest, putting the Mocs in an early lead.
Bentley finally managed to put a point on the board in retaliation. Gaghan put the stop to another blitz and enabled the Mocs to go on the offense, with Hale finding the back of the net. Tare assisted on the goal earning her 200th career point in the process. The Falcons then went on the offensive, scoring a short 3-goal run, and edging ahead of the Mocs 4-3. FSC's Maria Reeves took the draw control, and McFerren and Hale each scored a goal to reclaim the lead before the Falcons gained any more ground. The first frame came to a close with Florida Southern up 5-4.
The second frame opened with Florida Southern gaining early possession of the ball and trying to find the back of the net. Frissora finally found her opening, making the first goal of the second quarter and starting a 4-0 run for the Mocs with Stoller, Gorrasi and Tare each finding the back of the net, bringing the score to 9-4. Bentley's Maeve Johnson broke the run, only to have Tare score again, finishing out the quarter 10-5 with Florida Southern still in the lead.
Rittberg starred in the goal at the start of the third frame, with Florida Southern carrying over their strong offensive from the second quarter. Dudley was the first to find the opening, scoring another point for the Mocs. Hale followed soon after with a goal and then a free-position goal in less than a minute.
Bentley turned up the heat after, trying to chip away at Florida Southern's lead. Rittberg proved a tough nut to crack, but the Falcons found some success as Caroline Affolter found the back of the net, bringing the score to 13-6. Florida Southern wrestled back control of the ball, and scored two more times by the end of the third.
The final quarter opened with the Mocs holding a 15-6 lead and the Falcons winning the draw control, but losing control of the ball quickly and Vetter scoring a free-position goal. Possession changed hands as both squads traded goals, with Bentley unable to make up the difference on Florida Southern's lead. The game ended in a 17-8 home win for Mocs.
The Mocs return to action Wednesday, March 20 at 6 p.m. as they host Saint Leo University in the opening Sunshine State Conference game of the season. FSC will also honor FSC Faculty & Staff at the contest as part of its annual Faculty & Staff Appreciation Night.
