#5 Mocs Fall in Tough Matchup with #1 Setters

PLEASANTVILLE, N.Y. – No. 5 Florida Southern women's lacrosse traveled to the Big Apple and battled the No. 1 Pace Setters to a 16-12 final at Northwell Stadium Thursday night. 
 
Florida Southern (4-3) used a strong defensive third quarter to bring the game to within one heading into the final quarter but was unable to rally past Pace (4-0).
 
Abby McFerren showcased a five-point game with a hattrick of goals and a pair of assists. Jackie Stoller, Kolby Cohen, and Ellie Griffin all found the net two times while Madison Tare, Sammy Gorrasi, and Jenna Vetter each scored a goal to finish the game as the Moccasins goal scorers.
 
Cohen paced the Moccasins with six draw controls while McKenzie Gaghan and Harper Muma each led the team with three groundballs in the contest.
 
Gaghan got the nod in cage for the Mocs and tallied seven saves against the top-ranked Setters.
 
Angelina Porcello paced the Setters with eight goals as a trio of players scored two goals, Maddie Schubert, Mackenzie Carita, and Sydney Juvelier. The final goals for Pace came from Annie Sheehan and Nikki Mottes.
 
Florida Southern found the back of the net first in the opening minute as Jackie Stoller found a cutting Sammy Gorrasi for the 1-0 lead. Pace scored back-to-back goals to claim a quick 2-1 lead before less than 20 seconds later, Abby McFerren found Kolby Cohen to even the game at two.
 
Pace took a quick 3-2 lead before McFerren scored on a free position shot to knot the game at three. Kolby Cohen won the ensuing draw control and found a cutting Ellie Griffin who buried it into the back of the net for the Mocs' 4-3 lead.  Pace would score three unanswered goals to take a 6-4 lead into the first break in play.
 
The Setters' momentum carried to the second with three straight for a five-goal lead with eight minutes to play. Jackie Stoller and Ellie Griffin would score 33 seconds apart to bring the Mocs to within three before Pace sandwiched Cohen's second goal in the final three minutes for an 11-7 halftime score.
 
Out of the break, Madison Tare scored in the first two minutes before McFerren went back-to-back on passes from Reese Colwell and Madison Tare to make it just a one-goal game, 11-10. Despite the great defensive efforts in the frame, the Setters would squeak in a goal to get a two-goal cushion back with 2:27 on the clock and carried the 12-10 lead into the final quarter.
 
The Mocs still pressing, Stoller's goal at 11:43 again brought the game to within two but four straight Setters' goal pushed the game to 16-11 with 3:48 to play. McFerren would gain what would be her final point of the game as she found Jenna Vetter in the middle for the game's final goal as Pace hung on for the 16-12 win.
 
No. 5 Florida Southern will recover before taking on No. 16 Mercy (1-3) on March 9 at 11 a.m. in Dobbs Ferry, N.Y.