Featured Photo: Reid Chaconas – Credit: Florida Tech Athletics
Reid Chaconas scored with 1:47 left in the first quarter Tuesday, setting the new standard for goals in Florida Tech Lacrosse history with 97. It was the only goal for Chaconas in a 13-9 Panthers win over Florida Southern at Panther Field.
Chaconas tied the record in a loss to Tampa on Saturday, but his goal Tuesday gave the Panthers their first two-goal lead of the day in a game they led from the outset.
The Panthers played their best game of the season, leading in many statistical categories. They turned the ball over 14 times, committing only two turnovers in the second and the fourth quarter. The Mocs had 23. Florida Tech was also an impressive 18-for-19 on clears. They also held a 43-34 advantage on ground balls.
The Mocs did win 16 of the 26 faceoffs in the contest.
Vincent Palermo got the start in goal for the Panthers with Maxwell Freestone drawing the start at the other end. Both goalies shone throughout, trading saves on many occasions.
Florida Tech’s Zach Rozgonyi had the only hat trick of the game, while Luke Jayne had four assists to lead the team. Chandler Hake had two goals and two assists, Luke Palmisano had two goals, as did Matt Gutmann. Chaconas had two assists to go with his record-setting tally.
Edward May had two goals and three assists and Cody Bielec had two goals and an assist for FSC.
The Panthers (2-3, 1-3 SSC) took 54 shots on the day, 27 on goal, and the Moccasins (1-2, 1-1 SSC) answered with 43, 27 on goal. Each goalie came up with 14 saves.
The game was competitive through much of the first half, with the Panthers scoring one goal more than FSC in both the first and second quarter.
Freestone made two early saves on the Panthers before Justin Williams opened the scoring with 7:44 left in the quarter. Chaconas was credited with the assist. After Bielec tied the score, Nate Deplancke who was robbed on two earlier chances, solved Freestone and made it 2-1.
Chaconas made history with the Panthers’ third goal of the day before May answered with 56.6 seconds left, to make it 3-2.
Palmisano gave his squad a two-goal lead 45 seconds into the second quarter with an assist from Jayne before May answered two minutes later to make it 4-3. Jayne would connect with Palmisano again 3:56 after their first score, giving the Panthers a 5-3 lead.
The Mocs would score back-to-back goals to tie the game at five before Rozgonyi and Gutmann gave Florida Tech a 7-5 lead just before halftime.
Rozgonyi would score his second of the day 1:32 into the third quarter making it 8-5. Jeff Atlas and Hake traded goals making it 9-6. The Panthers had a few great chances to add to the lead with Andy Stump, Chaconas, and Palmisano each getting a good look at the cage and each firing wide in a span of 24 seconds.
Hake got off a shot 20 seconds after Palmisano’s and he didn’t miss, as the Panthers upped their lead to 10-6. After Justin Dunleavy closed the gap to 10-7, Jayne and Bielec traded goals to make it 11-8.
Palmisano appeared to score with five seconds left in the quarter but was ruled in the crease and the quarter ended with the Panthers holding a three-goal lead.
Rozgonyi completed his hat trick with 2:22 gone in the fourth quarter, making it 12-8. Ryan Gorecki answered with 3:55 gone by to bring it back to a three-goal game. Gutmann finished the scoring with his second of the day, with 5:41 left on the clock.
Frustration took over from there as Florida Southern picked up an unnecessary roughness call and two cross-checking calls in the final 3:49
For more info: Florida Southern @ Florida Tech Box Score
Florida Tech will play host to Palm Beach Atlantic next Wednesday, April 14. The opening faceoff is set for 4:00 p.m.