MELBOURNE, Fla. – The Saint Leo men's lacrosse team fell 16-8 to Florida Tech Saturday afternoon at Panther Field. The non-conference game against the Panthers marked the season finale for the Green and Gold. The 2021 Lions did the work to get lacrosse back up and running after the COVID-19 pandemic cut short the 2020 season. The program's efforts earned 10 competitions this season, translating to a 3-7 overall record, 3-3 in the Sunshine State Conference (SSC).
 
The leadership displayed by the senior class in Collin Strait, Gunnar Luckoski, Liam Mueller, Jake Love, Will Toman, Devin Sparks, Justin Taylor, Jordan Williams, Jack Spera, and Matt Shand are a large part of the road to returning to play. The 10 Lions graduate as 2018 NCAA Division II National Championship Finalists, South Region Champions, and SSC Regular Season Champions.
 
Senior Jordan Williams had a tremendous day. Williams won 18-of-28 faceoffs against the Panthers. Meanwhile, his younger brother, Justin Williams, paced the offense with a pair of goals and an assist for three points.
 
Gunnar Luckoski earned eight stops in the net after 25 minutes of work. Chase Strait finished up the last 35 minutes in cage where he earned seven saves.
 
Records
Saint Leo: 3-7, 3-3 SSC
Florida Tech: 3-5, 1-3 SSC
 
How it Happened
A five-goal run by the Panthers put the Lions behind by the six-minute mark in the first quarter. The Green and Gold got their rhythm going before the close of the first, with three consecutive goals. The late surge brought the game within two after the first at 5-3.
 
The second quarter read similarly as the Panthers tallied another five-goal run. Saint Leo capitalized on a man-up situation as Kadin Schillo slung one in, assisted by Reece Hrycan. The Lions trailed 10-4 at the half.
 
The script filled in the third. The Green and Gold defense shutdown the Panthers over the 15 minutes. At 8:22, Justin Williams tallied his 11^th goal of the season to move the score to 10-5.
 
The fourth quarter anything but quiet as nine goals were tallied between the teams. Reece Hrycan, assisted by Justin Williams got things started in the 13^th minute. Hrycan's goal cut the gap to four. Despite the Lions work, the Panthers tallied four straight to get away from Saint Leo, 14-6. The teams wrapped up the game alternating two goals a piece for the 16-8 final.
 
 
For the latest news, updates, and information on the Saint Leo men's lacrosse team, be sure to visit SaintLeoLions.com. Fans can also stay up-to-date on the latest Lions news by following Saint Leo Athletics on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
 
Keeping Our Lions Healthy & Safe
Saint Leo University Athletics is keeping our student-athletes healthy and safe by following a number of measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19. This includes having student-athletes tested or screened on a regular basis, traveling in smaller groups, limiting the number of fans in attendance, avoiding overnight trips, and wearing masks when not competing. These safety standards meet those set by the NCAA Division II and the Sunshine State Conference President's Council. At Saint Leo University, the COVID-19 Incident Command Team also reviews the teams' safety protocol and monitors adherence on a regular basis.