LAKELAND, Fla. – Brian Rose (Stony Point, N.Y., North Rockland) scored the game-winner with 24 seconds remaining to lift No. 11 Queens men's lacrosse past Florida Southern, 9-8, Sunday afternoon in Lakeland, Fla.
With the win the Royals improve to 4-1 on the season, while the Moccasin drop to 3-5.
Playing the first of two games in four days against Florida schools, Royals head coach Jim Fritz was enthusiastic about his team's performance.
"These kinds of trips are hard. Credit to our kids for hanging in all game and weathering the storm at the end. I was really impressed after they tied it with 24 seconds remaining that we kept our composure and came right back with the game-winner."
Fritz complimented Southern Florida for "coming to play and executed a good game plan."
The Mocs struck first as A.J. Monteleone scored an unassisted goal five minutes into the first quarter. Two minutes later Chris Murphy found Cory Brown for a goal to extend the Mocs' lead to 2-0. Queens responded with back-to-back goals by T.C. Whaley (Carlsbad, Calif., La Costa Canyon) and Rose to tie the game 2-2 at the conclusion of the opening period.
The defensive battle continued in the second stanza as the Royals' defense forced four turnovers in a scoreless quarter.
Queens took its first lead of the game 30 seconds into the third quarter as Matthew Michael (Easton, Pa., Easton) found Rose for the score. Two minutes later FSC answered when Murphy found Kevin Naslonski cutting towards the net for a goal to tie the game at 3-3.
The scored remained tied until 14:34 left in the fourth quarter when Corey Geroy (Horseheads, N.Y., Horseheads) shot found the back of the net to give Queens a 4-3 lead. Less than two minutes later Travis Speer's (Newtown, Conn., Newtown) shot bounced off the inside of the post for a goal. On the ensuing faceoff Geroy found Michael for a goal extending the Royals' lead to 6-3 with 12:57 remaining.
The Mocs rallied on unassisted goals by Monteleone and Naslonski to cut the lead to 6-5 with 10:50 left. After the two teams traded goals, Brad Fretti picked up a ground ball off a Queens turnover and put a shot past the keeper to tie the game 7-7. The Royals went ahead 8-7 on a Michael goal with 1:47 remaining. Jon Freda dodged his way towards the cage and scored to tie the game with 31 seconds remaining. Joe Taylor (Aurburn, N.Y., Auburn) won the ensuing faceoff, his17th of the day in 20 draws, and quickly fed it to Geroy who found Rose for the game-winner just seven seconds later.
Brandon Macknew (Abington, Md., Bel Air) finished the game with seven saves and two ground balls, while the Royals' defense forced 14 turnovers.
The Royals will remain in Lakeland in preparation for their March 16 matchup with Saint Leo.
