Postgame Interview with Chris Panos

CHARLOTTE, N.C.  – The Queens University of Charlotte men's lacrosse team upset No. 7 Limestone College this evening at Dickson Field by a score of 15-14 to move to 5-5 on the year. The Saints now sit 8-4 on the year after falling to the Royals. The win was just the second in program history over the Saints with the first coming during the 2006 season.
 
Quinn Tallant led Queens with three goals while Kealan Pilon, Griffin Stechmiller, Kevin Barry, and Jesse Oliver scored two goals each. Defensively, Zac Bruso led with five caused turnovers, six ground balls, and one assist. Drew Flack won 15-of-32 faceoffs and totaled six ground balls, and Anthony Valenza recorded five saves in goal.
 
Queens jumped on the Saints early in the first quarter scoring the game's first five goals to hold a 5-0 lead with 8:45 on the clock. Limestone would finally find the back of the net for the first time at 7:41 to cut the lead to four, 5-1, and another goal followed for the Saints to give the game a 5-2 score at 2:43. Queens' Kyle Pucci then scored the final goal of the period at 1:48 to give the Royals a four-point lead heading into the second.
 
Pilon and Barry would score the first two goals of the second to put the Royals in front 8-2 with 9:01 on the clock. However, Limestone answered with six unanswered goals to tie the game at 8-8 with 31 seconds until the break. Queens' Eric Fitz then zipped a ball into the net with five ticks on the clock to give the Royals a 9-8 lead at the half.
 
A goal early in the third from Limestone's Clark Walter knotted the game at 9-9 before the Saints took their first lead of the night at 9:22 on a goal from Brendan Smith. They then increased their lead to two, 11-9, before Queens' Tallant scored at 5:34 to cut the Royals' deficit to one, 11-10, heading into the final period.
 
In the fourth, Jesse Oliver tied things up with a goal at 14 minutes, but Limestone's Charlie Sheehan followed with a goal at 11:05 to return control to the Saints, 12-11. The Royals then went on a 3-0 run to regain control of the game for good. Zac Bruso would intercept a pass on the defensive end and race up the field to assist Kevin Barry on the final goal of the run at 8:46 which put the Royals in front, 14-12.
 
The Saints responded cutting the lead to one at 3:58, but an insurance goal from David Byrne at 2:46 helped solidify the upset over the defending national champion Saints.
 
Queens was outshot 44-35, though they put 23 shots on goal to Limestone's 19 shots on frame. The Royals also totaled 30 ground balls to Limestone's 24.
 
Sheehan, Tyler Papa, Cody Solmosy, and Matt Bennett each scored two goals to lead the Saints. Danny Forren took the loss in goal after recording six saves.
 
Queens is back in action on Saturday, April 7 when they welcome Mars Hill University to Dickson Field. The Royals defeated the Lions, 8-5, last season with Reed Murphy totaling three points on two goals and an assist. The game is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.

Click below for the postgame interview with Queens assistant coach Chris Panos.