LAKELAND, Fla. – No. 6/3 Florida Southern women's lacrosse team held off the No. 8/9 Flagler Saints Friday night to open the 2025 season with a 10-8 win. The Moccasins used a 7-4 first-half lead and held on against the Saint's 4-3 second half at Berend Field at the Barnett Athletic Complex.
"I loved our team's grit and the never give up attitude," head coach
Kara Reber stated about the performance Friday night. "The defensive unit and Rylie played great and gave it everything they had tonight. I am so happy with the fight, and I am looking forward to a great season."
Six different players scored for the Moccasins (1-0) in the win while
Rylie Rittberg earned her 11
th career win in goal, playing the full 60 minutes. Rittberg tallied seven saves against the Saints' (1-1) 21 total shots, 15 on goal.
Giana Murphy led the offensive charge for Florida Southern in her return to the pitch after a year off with a hattrick on eight shots.
Abby McFerren and
Jenna Vetter joined in the multi-goal game with a pair each while
Hanna Watson,
Hannah Hale, and
Kaylee Stoky found the back of the net once.
McFerren matched Murphy's team-high three points adding an assist while
Danielle Mojsej,
Casey Falduto, and
Hannah Guerin all dished out an assist in the win.
Flagler saw three players tally multiple goals with Carley Tepel, Ava Lambros, and Ella Pinder all scoring two goals ahead of Virginia Fisher and Carly LaFerriere each scoring once. Tepel and Pinder each dished out an assist to tie for the game-lead in points with three.
The Mocs got the scoring rolling with an unassisted
Giana Murphy goal before the Saints answered four minutes later. Florida Southern would score two more to Flagler's one over the final seven minutes as Murphy found the back of the net again before
Abby McFerren scored the opening-period final goal at 2:14 (3-2 FSC).
Like the first period, Florida Southern opened the scoring in the second frame on a McFerren to
Jenna Vetter goal. The Saints would fire back to cut it back to a one-goal game, but
Hannah Guerin would find McFerren for the Mocs' fifth goal. Ella Pinder's second goal of the second quarter would bring it to 5-4 but Florida Southern's Murphy and Vetter each tallied another goal to close the first half up 7-4.
The lone goal in the third quarter came at the 3:47 mark as
Casey Falduto found
Kaylee Stoky for the 12
th total goal of the game (8-4 FSC).
The fourth-quarter explosion by the Saints saw the game get within two at the final horn. Flagler would score first in the final period and would trade goals with Florida Southern, as
Danielle Mojsej connected with
Hanna Watson and
Hannah Hale for what would be the final two Moccasin' goals. The Saints would tally two more goals in the final three minutes, but it would be
Maria Reeves who won the final draw control of the game as Florida Southern was able to run out the clock and pick up the first win of the season in as many games.
No. 6/3 Florida Southern will take 11 days off from competition before hosting No. 14/19 Saint Leo on Feb. 18 at 7 p.m. At halftime of the game, the Moccasins will honor and recognize faculty and staff who made an impact on the student-athletes over their time at Florida Southern.
Florida Southern is ranked sixth in the last IWLCA rankings (2024) and third in the USA Lacrosse preseason poll (Jan. 28). Flagler entered the season ranked ninth in the last IWLCA rankings and eighth in the USA Lacrosse preseason poll.
