Florida Southern Knocks Off Two-Time Reigning Champion Tampa

As the two most dominant women’s lacrosse programs in the South Region in recent years, conference rivals Florida Southern and Tampa know each other well. Whether they are playing for Sunshine State Conference championships or chasing NCAA titles through the regionals, their games are usually tight and competitive.

Saturday’s second round match-up once again fit that mold as top-seeded FSC needed overtime to eliminate two-time defending national champion Tampa, 10-9.

Junior midfielder Kolby Cohen was Saturday’s hero, gathering a feed from Louise Aloi on a backdoor cut and firing the game-winner into the lower left corner past Tampa’s All-America goalie Savvy Barbosa, 3:35 into the extra period.

Kohen said that her only thoughts in the overtime period were about helping to support her teammates.

“I just try to focus on keeping my teammates calm and see that we all have the same energy and mindset,” she said. “We try to keep it as fun as possible because that’s when we all play our best.”

The game-winner came on FSC’s second possession in overtime, after the Mocs’ defense forced turnovers on both of Tampa’s possessions in the extra period.

“The defense did its job again today, especially in overtime, giving us a chance to win the game,” said FSC head coach Kara Reber. “You never know whose day it’s going to be, but having the type of depth that we have, anybody can step up for us.”

Saturday’s game was the third meeting of the year between the South Region titans and their 12th match-up over the past four years. After the game, both coaches put in a gentle request that perhaps its time that the NCAA reconsider its regional format for Division II postseason play.

“We’d love to see the NCAA eliminate the regionalization so that we don’t have to play Tampa three times every year just to advance,” Reber said. “I think the South Region is so incredibly strong, in so many sports, that it would be really nice to face new people in the first round and second round.”

Tampa head coach Kelly Gallagher shared similar sentiments.

“This is the best conference to play in and it’s a shame that the NCAA continues to keep us in a regional format. Some of the best teams come out of our region and this was more like a national semifinal game or quarterfinal game rather than a second round game,” Gallagher said. “What a hard fought battle this was on both sides. What a great game and a fun game to be a part of.”

Highlights from Saturday’s other second round games:

• The upset of the day belonged to Kutztown, the number four seed in the Atlantic Region, which handed No. 1 seed Slippery Rock its first loss of the year, 9-6. The Bears (16-6) scored the final four goals of the game over the closing 13 minutes to rally for the victory and avenge last week’s one-goal loss to SRU in the PSAC championship game. Led by goalie Marisa Bragg (12 saves), Kutztown’s defense held SRU (20-1) to its lowest goal total of the season and just the second time all year that the Rock netted fewer than 10 goals.

• In the other Atlantic Region contest, it took a little while for East Stroudsburg’s high-octane offense to get started, but once it cranked up, it was rolling. The Warriors trailed 4-1 midway through the first quarter in the third meeting of the year against PSAC rival West Chester but responded with a 14-3 run that eventually led to a 23-15 victory. Four players tallied at least four goals for ESU (19-1), paced by five goals apiece from Sadie Kauffman and Jolee Roth.

• Alexandria Leggio scored a game-high six goals as No. 1 seed Adelphi downed Wilmington, 15-11, in the first-ever meeting between the two teams. The Panthers benefitted from a significant 22-6 edge in the draw circle as they began their chase for a 10th NCAA title. AU carries a 14-game winning streak into next week’s East Region final against No. 2 seed Pace.

• Pace advanced with a 13-12 win over Mercy as Lisa Heffernan tallied the game-winning goal with 36 seconds remaining. Mercy rallied from a three-goal deficit in the fourth quarter to tie the score before Heffernan’s game-winner, her fourth score of the day. Pace (15-5) has lost just once since its 4-4 start, a one-goal setback to Adelphi in last week’s NE10 final.

• Freshman midfielder Reese Fahlke scored a career-high seven goals and senior Sage DaSilva added five goals and two assists as No. 1 seed UIndy blitzed No. 5 Ashland, 22-9. National champion in 2022, UIndy (18-1) brings a 17-game winning streak into next week’s Midwest Region final against No. 2 Maryville.

• Maryville enjoyed a strong second half to defeat Rockhurst, 14-7, in the third meeting of the year between the GLVC members. Leading 5-4 at halftime, the Saints (15-4) pulled away in the final 30 minutes as All-American Paige Murphy netted five of her game-high six goals.

• In the final game of the day, junior attacker Kylie Budke scored five goals and goalie Dakota Capolino recorded 11 saves to lead top-ranked Flagler to a 16-10 win at home over No. 3 seed St. Leo. The Saints (20-0) are the last remaining undefeated team and recorded their second victory of the season against St. Leo, setting up next week’s quarterfinal showdown against number two ranked Florida Southern.

Saturday’s Game Scores

Atlantic Region 
(2) East Stroudsburg def (3) West Chester, 23-15 
(4) Kutztown def (1) Slippery Rock, 9-6

East Region 
(1) Adelphi def (4) Wilmington, 15-11 
(2) Pace def (3) Mercy, 13-12

Midwest Region 
(1) UIndy def (5) Ashland, 22-9 
(2) Maryville def (6) Rockhurst, 14-7

South Region 
(1) Florida Southern def (4) Tampa, 10-9 (ot) 
(2) Flagler def (3) Saint Leo, 16-10

National Quarterfinal Games – May 16

Atlantic Region 
(2) East Stroudsburg vs. (4) Kutztown

East Region 
(1) Adelphi vs. (2) Pace

Midwest Region 
(1) UIndy vs. (2) Maryville

South Region 
(1) Florida Southern vs. (2) Flagler