#3/2 Mocs Bounce Back with Massive Win Over the Sailfish on Senior Day

LAKELAND, Fla. – No. 3/2 Florida Southern women's lacrosse honored 11 seniors Saturday prior to the start of the game which the Moccasins then went on to defeat the Sailfish of Palm Beach Atlantic 21-9 at Berend Field and the Barnett Athletic Complex.
 
Florida Southern bounced back after a 12-8 loss at No. 1 Tampa earlier this week with a 21-9 win over PBA to move to 11-1 overall and 1-1 in Sunshine State Conference play. The Mocs saw 13 different players earn a point in the game with 10 different goal scorers. Florida Southern moves to 7-0 all-time against Palm Beach Atlantic. As part of the pre-game senior day ceremony, the Moccasins recognized the careers of Rylie Rittberg, Sabrina Diaz, Reese Colwell, Giana Murphy, Margo Schoppe, Kaylee Stoky, Maria Reeves, Charlie Laye, Gabriella Connelly, Chloe Webber, and Sam Wehr. 
 
Giana Murphy shined on senior day, registering a game-high seven points on six goals and one assist. Jenna Vetter finished second on the team in points (4) and goals (3) while she added one assist. Danielle Mojsej tallied three points on three assists while Kolby Cohen, Kelsey Bennett, Maycie Neubauer, Maria Reeves, Kassidy Miller, Hannah Hale, and Chloe Webber each tallied two points in the win. Hanna Watson, Hannah Guerin, and Sam Wehr all contributed one point.
 
Reeves and Audrey Cannelli combined for 16 of the Moccasins' 23 draw controls to help Florida Southern control the pace of the game. Reeves won 11, winning more alone than PBA did as a unit (10), while Cannelli had five in the game. Reeves' 11 draw controls push her career total to 264, two shy of second place in the program's top 10 standings. Charlie Laye finished the game with a game-high three ground balls while forcing two turnovers, tying Kaylee Stoky for a game-high. 
 
Rylie Rittberg and Rebekah Bargeron shared time in the cage as Rittberg got the start and earned her 11^th win of the season, making three saves in the first 30 minutes of action. Bargeron tallied one save in the second half.
 
Palm Beach Atlantic (6-5, 0-2 SSC) saw Rachel Delate pace the team with five points, with three goals and two assists. Courtney Rausch got the start in goal and played 45 minutes, tallying 10 saves in the loss.
 
Palm Beach Atlantic gained a lead with a goal at the 12:08 mark from Rachel Delate for the first time in seven games between the two programs. A short-lived lead saw Giana Murphy and Chloe Webber team up for the first Moccasin goal before Murphy pushed the Mocs ahead, 2-1. Florida Southern would go on to score seven total goals in the first quarter and carried a 7-3 lead into the first intermission.
 
Like at the start of the game, Webber registered the first goal of the second quarter, but a tighter period saw the Mocs edge the Sailfish 4-3 for an 11-6 halftime score. Kolby Cohen's goal at the 8:47 mark would go on to serve as the game-winning goal, the Mocs' 10^th of the game.
 
Florida Southern came out of the break and turned on the heat with an 8-0 third quarter. Hannah Hale and Giana Murphy would go back and forth on scoring before Kassidy Miller's goal at the 11:44 mark pushed the threshold into a running clock situation, 16-6. Florida Southern closed the quarter with a goal at the 29-second mark from Maycie Neubauer and a 19-6 lead.
 
PBA edged FSC in scoring in the final frame, 3-2, but the Moccasins cruised to the 21-9 win after a strong second half.
 
No. 3/2 Florida Southern returns to action Wednesday, April 2, at 4 p.m. against No. 4/5 Lynn at Berend Field.  
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