#14 Mocs Drop Overtime Contest at Home

LAKELAND, Fla. - The 14^th-ranked Florida Southern College men's lacrosse team had to go to overtime for the third time this season and second time at home, as the Embry-Riddle Eagles erased a three-goal deficit in the fourth to force OT. The Eagles and Mocs each had chances in the extra period but with just 1:38 remaining the Eagles broke through for the game-winner.
 
The loss drops FSC's record to 7-4 on the season including 1-2 in Sunshine State Conference play. The Eagles improved to 6-3 overall and a perfect 2-0 in league action.
 
Junior Brydon Robichaud and graduate student Thomas Frank led the offensive effort for the Mocs as Robichaud finished with a team-best five points including two goals and a team-high three assists. Frank, who entered the contest with one goal on the season, found the back of the cage four times to lead all FSC scorers. Seniors Kaleb Cook and Brendan Glasser each tallied two goals in the loss while Cook chipped in an assist as well to finish with three points. Four others scored one goal each while an additional three chipped in assists.
 
The Mocs caused 12 turnovers as a team led by graduate student Nick Shannon who posted three caused turnovers and scooped up six ground balls. Shannon is now just nine caused turnovers away from tying the FSC career record held by Austen Lison (2016-19), who had 123 caused turnovers during his four year career. Senior Zac Fitzgerald also chipped in a pair of caused turnovers as well.
 
Sophomore Jacob Czyz once again excelled at the face off spot as he went 18-of-21 (.857) while scooping up a game-best 14 ground balls. In goal, senior Michael Simone played all 62:22 while making eight saves, only his second single digit save performance this season.
 
The Eagles were led by Isaiah Hines who had a game-high eight points including five goals and three assists. Coleman Jacobs added four goals and two assists while Pete Abbes provided the overtime winner while scoring three goals and handing out one assist. ERAU keeper Carter Groezinger came in late in the third quarter and finished with five saves and four goals allowed while earning the win.
 
The game featured large swings of momentum as the Mocs controlled the tail end of the opening 15 minutes scoring four goals while holding the Eagles to just two in the period. Embry-Riddle scored two of the first three goals and led 2-1 just over six minutes into the contest. A trio of goals by the Mocs in the final six minutes of the quarter gave FSC a 4-2 lead heading into the break. Robichaud, Cook and sophomore Nolan Tighe each contributed goals during the stretch.
 
The second quarter was all Eagles as Embry-Riddle out-scored the Mocs 6-1 in the period. ERAU opened the scoring just under three minutes into the stanza and the Mocs answered just over a minute later as Glasser scored the Mocs' lone goal of the second quarter. The Eagles went on to score five-straight including the final goal of the run with 39 seconds left in the half.
 
Trailing 8-5 heading into the second half, the Mocs had their best quarter of the afternoon in the third as FSC dominated the action out-scoring the visitors 7-1. Just under two minutes into the second half, Robichaud scored his second goal of the contest which was answered by ERAU less than a minute later. Trailing 9-6, the Mocs scored six goals over the final 10-plus minutes of action in the quarter to take a 12-9 lead into the final break. Frank scored all four of his goals during the 6-0 run as he was joined by sophomore Anthony Guglielmo and Glasser who each added one goal to the run.
 
The fourth saw the Mocs and Eagles trade the opening four goals of the period. Hines scored first for the visitors with 12:55 left but freshman Grant Ansted had the response just 54 seconds later to regain the three-goal advantage for the Mocs. The Eagles scored once again at the 9:56 mark but once again the Mocs had the answer as Cook found the back of the cage for the final time at the 6:08 mark to take a 14-11 lead. The Eagles went on to score three goals over the span of 2:32 as Hines opened the run followed by back-to-back goals from Jacobs.
 
The game then headed to overtime where FSC won the opening face off but were immediately turned over giving ERAU the first really opportunity at ending the game. The Eagles first shot sailed wide while the second attempt was saved by Simone giving FSC an offensive opportunity. After a successful clear, FSC called timeout to setup a game-winning play. After everyone on the offensive side of the ball had one touch of the ball, the Mocs began to attack but the Eagles defense stood strong and forced another FSC turnover. The Eagles raced the ball to the other end of the field where they setup their final play of the contest as Christian Hofer found Abbes for the game-winner with 1:38 left in the OT period.
 
The Mocs will not have much time to dwell on the loss, as FSC travel to Saint Leo Wednesday, April 3 for a 7 p.m. contest.
 
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