SAINT LEO, Fla. –  No. 1 seed Saint Leo fell 8-6 to No. 3 seed Tampa in the 2018 Sunshine State Conference Tournament Championship on Sunday at University Turf Stadium. The 15-4 Tampa Spartans claimed their fifth SSC Tournament Championship title as the only school in the SSC history to take the title. The two-goal loss snapped the Lions 10-game winning streak, moving the Green and Gold's overall record to 14-2.
 
Tampa used a four goal fourth quarter to win its fifth straight title where the Lions held a 5-4 lead at the end of the third quarter.  
 
Thomas Tatarian, Jake Bye, Charlie Kurtenbach and Kyle Pauwels were named to the All-Tournament Team. The red-shirt junior goalkeeper finished the tournament with 29 saves after facing 74 shots posting a .690 save percentage, a 6.52 goals against average. Tatarian faced 42 shots, 22 on frame, from Tampa, earning 14 saves. Jake Bye totaled three ground balls, caused five turnovers. The senior defender picked up one ground ball and caused three turnovers against Tampa. Charlie Kurtenbach's four points against Tampa raised the junior attacker's tournament performance to two goals, three assists, two ground balls and one caused turnover. Kyle Pauwels scored a goal and picked up a ground ball against Tampa compiling a six goals, two ground balls and one caused turnover during the SSC Championship Tournament.
 
 
SSC 2018 All-Tournament Team
Reid Chalonas, Florida Tech
Kyle Sudol, Rollins
Thomas Tatarian, Saint Leo
Andrew Kew, Tampa
Jake Bye, Saint Leo
Luke Posher, Tampa
Charlie Kurtenbach, Saint Leo
BJ Borowski, Tampa
Kyle Pauwels, Saint Leo
Brian Wright, Tampa
Tournament MVP: Ross Kickerson, Tampa
 
 
The Basics
Final Score: No. 3 Seed Tampa 8, No. 1 Seed Saint Leo Lions 6
Location: Saint Leo, Fla. | University Turf Stadium
Records: UT (15-4) | SLU (14-2)
 
How It Happened...
1Q | Tampa took 53 seconds to find the back of the Lions' net. On a man-up situation, Charlie Kurtenbach found Kyle Pauwels to even things at 1-1 at 10:34. Both Tampa and Saint Leo added unassisted goals before the end of the first 15 minutes. | Tied 2-2 |
2Q | Kurtenbach scored his second goal three minutes into the second quarter. The Saint Leo lead didn't last as the Spartans rallied for two consecutive goals. | Tampa 4-3 |
3Q | Thomas Tatarian and the Saint Leo defense shut down all Tampa attempts in the third. The Lions outscored the Spartans 2-0 in the third stanza. The big quarter grabbed the lead heading into the last 15 minutes of play. | Saint Leo 5-4 |
4Q | Tampa's back-to-back goals took the lead at 6-5 with 11:07 remaining in regulation. Daniel Sparks scored his second goal of the game, assisted by Kurtenbach, for the equalizer; 6-6. Spartan's Chris Cox netted the game winner with 6:41 left on the clock. Saint Leo pulled Tatarian from the crease to place another man on the field. The scheme wasn't executed as Tampa's Bryan Wright ensured the win at 1:27. | Tampa 8-6 |

Points to Note

• Saint Leo took 28 shots, 20 were placed on frame.
• The Lions picked up 24 ground balls, cleared 18-of-19 clear attempts.
• Saint Leo earned 1-of-17 faceoffs from a Tampa violation.

For Tampa

• Tampa took 42 shots, placed 22 on goal.
• The Spartans picked up 37 ground balls, cleared 12-of-14 clear attempts.
• Tampa dominated play at the 'X' winning 16-of-17 faceoffs.

 
Up Next
Saint Leo looks to Sunday, May 6 to watch the NCAA Regional Selection Showcase scheduled at 7:30 p.m.
 
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