Moccasins Comeback Bid Falls Short Versus Florida Tech, 15-11

LAKELAND, Fla. - The Florida Southern College men's lacrosse team dropped its second Sunshine State Conference contest of the week as the Moccasins fell at home to Florida Tech, 15-11. FSC trailed by just two goals going into halftime but a 6-1 third quarter by the Panthers opened up the game. The Mocs fought back in the fourth but it was not enough to overcome the seven-goal deficit.
 
The loss drops Florida Southern's record to 3-9 on the season and 1-4 in SSC play while the Panthers improved to 6-6 overall and 2-2 in league action.
 
A trio of Mocs finished with three points in the loss including freshman Carter Vaillancourt, senior Brydon Robichaud and sophomore Maddux Walton. Vaillancourt tallied a pair of goals and an assist while Robichaud and Walton each had a goal and two assists. Junior Jack Epley shared the team lead in goals with two while senior Mason McQuiggin led in assists with two in the match-up. Sophomore Grant Ansted was the only other multiple point scorer as he added a goal and an assist. Four others each had one goal in the contest.
 
Senior Mitchell Wallace led the defensive effort with a trio of caused turnovers while McQuiggin and sophomore Alex Haughn each added two. Senior Isaiah Thomas had a team-best five ground balls while four others each had four including McQuiggin, Haughn, freshman Carson Corona and sophomore Charlie Fisher.
 
Two different Moccasins saw action at the face off as FSC awaits the return of junior Jacob Czyz. Junior Luke Henricksen led the way winning 14-of-21 (.667) Saturday while collecting two ground balls. Sophomore Boston Stofa collected 5-of-9 (.556) at the 'X' while also picking up a ground ball.
 
Graduate student Michael Simone played all 60 minutes in goal for the Mocs while making 11 saves while facing 39 total shots. It marks the sixth-straight contest this season in which he has collected double-digit saves and 11^th time in 2025.
 
Florida Tech was led by Gary Lozito who scored a game-high three goals while adding an assist. Nine others found the back of the net with just three others with two goals each. The Panthers used two face off men as well who went a combined 11-of-30 (.367). Jax Francisco took home the victory in net with 14 saves on the day while facing 40 shots.
 
The Panthers came out swinging in the first as they scored five of the opening six goals of the contest to lead 5-1 after 8:30 of action. Epley scored with 4:51 left in the quarter to end the run and then junior Anthony Guglielmo scored a man-up goal with just seven seconds remaining off an assists from Robichaud.
 
The Mocs momentum carried into the second where FSC scored the opening two goals of the period. Vaillancourt scored the first of his two goals just 3:27 into the second period before Walton tied the contest at 5-5 with 8:41 left in the second off an assist from Ansted. The Mocs would go scoreless for the next 18:18 as the Panthers scored seven unanswered goals from the middle of the second until late in the third.
 
Epley once again broke the run as he tallied his second of the day at the 5:23 mark of the third off an assist from Robichaud which cut the lead to 12-6. FT responded just three minutes later to push the advantage back up to seven at 13-6. The third would end with the same 13-6 score as the Mocs found themselves down to their final 15 minutes of action.
 
The opening four minutes of the fourth did not see any balls get past the keepers but for a span of 4:18 from the 10:42 until the 6:24 the Mocs scored four-straight to cut the deficit to just three with over six minutes left in the game. The Panthers ended the run just 1:34 later as Drew Haffner scored to push the lead to 14-10. FT added another goal at the 2:19 mark before Ansted scored his final tally with eight seconds left in the game.
 
The Mocs will now return to the practice field where they will be preparations for their final road game of the regular season. FSC will travel to Boca Raton, Fla. next Saturday, April 12 for a 1 p.m. contest versus Lynn.  
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