ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. — Florida Southern College men's lacrosse fell to No. 18 Flagler 11-8 on Friday night at Flagler Field. FSC took an early lead with a strong first quarter, scoring four goals and winning faceoffs 18-5 overall, but Flagler responded with a five-goal second quarter to seize momentum. Despite FSC's efficient 14-for-16 clearing efforts and a man-up goal, Flagler outshot and outscored FSC across the remaining quarters.
The opening quarter commenced with senior
Jacob Czyz securing the faceoff for FSC, setting a strong tone from the outset. Despite an early goal by Flagler's Ben Nyberg, FSC's junior
Kristian Kent quickly responded with a goal to level the score. Following another Nyberg goal for Flagler, FSC took control with junior
Maddux Walton and freshman
Elijah Terry each finding the net, pushing FSC ahead.
As the quarter advanced, FSC maintained its momentum with freshman
Angus Walko scoring to extend the lead to 4-3. Flagler's Griffin Moore managed to tie the game temporarily before Walko's subsequent goal restored FSC's advantage. The quarter concluded with FSC in the lead, 4-3, after a late save by freshman
Wayde Jamieson prevented a further score from Flagler.
Flagler initiated the second quarter with momentum, scoring first at 12:27 from Nyberg's goal. Despite multiple offensive attempts, including shots from Walko and senior
Jack Epley, FSC struggled to capitalize until Kent found the back of the net at 2:52, narrowing the gap to 7-5.
FSC continued to press, and senior
Caiden Wiech scored a man-up goal, assisted by freshman
Ryan Filippi, reducing the deficit further to 7-6. However, a late goal by Trace McDonald for Flagler at 00:11 extended its lead. The quarter concluded with FSC trailing 8-6.
Flagler struck first in the third quarter with a goal by Dempsey Gibbs, extending its lead. FSC quickly responded, as Epley found the back of the net to keep the game within reach. Sophomore
Luke Secreti made several key saves, including stopping shots from Griffin Moore and Micah Quinn, maintaining FSC's competitive stance.
Despite multiple attempts, including shots by freshman
Brady Schnurr and Walton, FSC was unable to further narrow the gap. The quarter concluded with both teams adding one goal to their totals, bringing the score to 9-7 in favor of Flagler.
FSC began the fourth quarter with momentum as Czyz won the faceoff and Walko, assisted by junior
Charlie Fisher, quickly scored to narrow the deficit. However, turnovers hindered further progress, and despite several attempts, FSC was unable to capitalize on its extra-man opportunities.
Midway through the quarter, Flagler's Will Linko scored on a man-up opportunity, widening its lead. FSC continued to battle, with Czyz consistently winning faceoffs, but the team struggled to convert these opportunities into goals.
As the quarter drew to a close, Flagler's Trace McDonald added another goal, extending its lead. Despite a late effort by FSC to regain control, the game ended with Flagler leading 11-8.
Czyz dominated at the faceoff circle, winning 18-of-23 battles, which helped control possession. Kent contributed significantly to the scoring, finishing with two goals on three shots on goal. Walko also added two goals, effectively capitalizing on six shots on target. Walton rounded out the offensive efforts with a goal and an assist, providing a balanced contribution to the team's performance.
McDonald led the Flagler team with three goals and three assists, demonstrating a significant contribution to the team's offensive efforts. Dempsey Gibbs achieved two goals, including one game-winning goal, showcasing his effectiveness in critical moments. Nyberg also scored three goals, all of which were on target, indicating precise shooting accuracy. Griffin Moore added to the team's performance with one goal and one assist, contributing to the overall scoring depth.
FSC holds an overall record of 0-4. Flagler is ranked No. 18 nationally with an overall record of 3-2.
Looking ahead, Florida Southern will host Rockhurst on Monday, Feb. 23, at 7 p.m. The game will take place at Berend Field in Lakeland, Florida.
