The Florida Tech men’s lacrosse team got their first win of the season on Monday, beating Maryville College 11-8 on Monday in St. Louis Missouri. This was a nice bounce-back for the Panthers, who were beaten in the final seconds of Saturday’s game against Lindenwood.
Panthers junior goalie Jake Hahn made 12 saves in the Panthers victory. Each team took 30 shots in this contest.
It was a big day for the youngsters on the Panthers roster on Monday, as freshmen Jesse Morgan scored four times, and Caiden Rast had his first career hat-trick in this one, picking up the goal that gave the Panthers their first lead (2-1) and had the goals that tied the game at six, and at eight.
Maryville (0-1) got the scoring started 3:51 into the game, with a goal from Justin Morgan, only to see the Panthers get the next two with goals from Morgan. It took just seven seconds for the Panthers to strike again, as Ethan Tosheff won the faceoff and got a quick feed to Rast, who beat Maryville goalie William DeVinney seven seconds later, giving Florida Tech a 2-1 lead.
Tosheff was masterful at the faceoff x, winning 20-of-22.
Morgan and Reid Chaconas finished a four-goal run for the Panthers toward the end of the first quarter. Jayden Fraser beat Hahn with one second on the clock, making it a 4-2 game at the end of one.
The Saints would pick up right where they left off to start the second quarter, as they scored four straight and five bridging the quarter. Jai Benson, Morgan, Jacob Allen, and Benson again. He scored with 3:37 to go in the half, turning a 4-2 Panthers lead into a 6-4 Deficit.
Justin Williams broke up Maryville’s party when he scored with 2:39 left. Rast would then get his second of the day with 1:07 left, and this one went to the half, knotted at six.
The teams traded goals in the third quarter with Benson getting another for the Saints, followed by Sam Sidari for the Panthers with 4:18 to go, tying it 7-7. Allen gave Maryville the lead with 1:01 to go in the period, and the home team went into the final quarter with an 8-7 lead.
Rast completed his hat-trick 55 seconds into the fourth, making it an 8-8 game. The Panthers defense came up big in the fourth quarter, and Hahn made three saves, as the Panthers pitched a shutout in the fourth.
Morgan, Palmisano, and Chaconas all scored in a six-and-a-half-minute span, sealing the victory for the Panthers.
For more info: Florida Tech @ Maryville Box Score
The Panthers got the victory despite turning the ball over 36 times, compared to 25 for the Saints. The Panthers were 16-of-20 on clears and won the groundball battle 47-28.
The Panthers road trip continues Saturday, February 22 when they travel to Charleston, SC to take on Limestone. The opening faceoff is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.