The Florida Tech men’s lacrosse team won their third straight game Saturday, outpacing the Lynn Fighting Knights 16-14. The win improves the Panthers’ record to 7-3 overall and 2-0 in the conference. Lynn falls to 2-8, and 0-2 in the Sunshine State Conference.
Zach Rozgonyi had a six-point day for the Panthers, scoring five goals and assisting on another. Collin Stewart finished with a hat-trick and two assists, while Griffin Martin and Bennett Duffy each tallied twice.
Xander Cosenza and Caleb Wells each had four goals for Lynn while Matthew Ilchuk had a five-point day with two goals and three assists.
Colin Casey took the loss for Lynn, allowing 16 goals while making 17 saves. Florida Tech goaltender John Hulsman, who has started every game, made 13 saves in the victory.
Duffy got the Panthers started with a goal one minute in. Stewart assisted on that and would score the second goal putting the Panthers up 2-0. Jalen Stanton and Wells answered for the Fighting Knights and it was 2-2 at the end of the first quarter.
Florida Tech went on a three-goal run to start the second quarter with markers from Chandler Hake, Rozgonyi, and Martin. Lynn would score twice in 1:02 to cut the deficit to 5-4 before Rozgonyi scored his second to make it 6-4.
Wells would score two consecutive goals to tie the game at six, before Rozgony’s hat trick goal with 2:12 left in the half made it 7-6. Martin would follow with his second of the day, and the Panthers led 8-6. Cosenza beat the buzzer and the Panthers went to the half with a slim 8-7 lead.
Rozgonyi took just two seconds to put the Panthers up 9-7 to start the third. Stewart got the assist and after Lynn answered, Stewart, scored the next one. Faceoff specialist Ethan Tosheff took matters into his own hands and Justin Williams capped a three-goal run to give the Panthers a 12-8 lead with 5:11 to go.
Lynn made it 12-9, but Duffy’s goal with 25 seconds left in the third helped Tech to a 13-9 lead, heading into the final 15. The teams traded goals to start the fourth before Rozgonyi made it 15-10 with 10:08 left and Patrick Stewart got the lead to 16-10 less than three minutes later.
The Fighting Knights lived up to their name, scoring the final four goals of the contest, to cut the Panthers’ lead to 16-14.
Tosheff had a big day for the Panthers, not only did he score a goal, but he won 20 faceoffs at the X.
For more info: Florida Tech @ Lynn Box Score
The win sets up Wednesday’s grudge match against #1 ranked Tampa. The Spartans won a non-conference game against the Panthers in overtime back in March in Double-OT. Wednesday’s game will get underway at 4:00 p.m. in “The Backyard” at the Olin Complex.