SAINT LEO, Fla. – The Saint Leo men's lacrosse team delivered a dominant performance at University Turf Stadium on Wednesday evening, cruising to a 17-7 victory over Sunshine State Conference rival Florida Tech.
From the opening whistle, the Lions set the tone with high-pressure defense and a fast-paced offense. Saint Leo jumped out to a 6-2 lead in the first quarter behind a relentless offensive attack that saw six different players find the back of the net. Junior Aidan Knoetgen got the Lions rolling early and continued to shine throughout the contest.
The Green and Gold kept their foot on the gas in the second quarter, extending their lead with five more goals while holding the Panthers to just two. Knoetgen tallied twice in the frame, while midfielders Max Chernoff and Zach Kroog each added to their totals as Saint Leo entered halftime with a commanding 11-4 lead.
Though the third quarter brought a slight slowdown offensively, the Lions defense continued to frustrate Florida Tech, causing multiple turnovers and limiting clean shot opportunities. Senior goalkeeper Drew Wheeler made several key stops and finished with eight saves on the day.
Saint Leo closed the game strong, outscoring the Panthers 4-1 in the final quarter. Knoetgen capped off his stellar afternoon with his fourth goal, and freshman Connor Terrell added a late strike off a feed from Phil Terrell to punctuate the victory.
Knoetgen led all scorers with four goals and three assists, matching his career high for points in a game. Chernoff and Kroog chipped in with two goals apiece, while 12 different Lions recorded at least one point. Defensively, Saint Leo was lights-out, causing 23 turnovers and dominating the ground ball battle 48-30. Graham Anderson led the faceoff unit, winning 13 of 23 draws, helping Saint Leo control the tempo throughout.
With the win, Saint Leo improves to 9-6 on the season, SSC play at 3-4 closing out the 2025 regular season. Saint Leo returns to action on Saturday, April 20 as it travels to face Embry-Riddle in the first round of the SSC Men's Lacrosse Championship Tournament.
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- SaintLeoLions.com -
