TAMPA, Fla. – In a game that proved to be a game of runs, the sixth-ranked Saint Leo University women's lacrosse team dropped a hard-fought battle, 14-11, at the top-seed and top-ranked Tampa Spartans in the semifinals of the 2025 Sunshine State Conference Women's Lacrosse Tournament presented by Pollo Campero. With the loss, the Lions bow out of the SSC tournament with a 13-6 overall record, while the Spartans advance to Sunday's championship game with an overall 16-1 record.

Following Tampa's 15-13 win in the tournament final on Sunday, April 27 over Florida Southern, Meredith Eitel and Maria Palomba were named to the All-Tournament team.
 
Offensively, the Lions were led by Maria Palomba's five points on four goals and an assist. Jana Nuss added a goal and three assists for four points. Sophia Wood scored three goals and Holly Hill found the back of the net twice. Defensively, the Green & Gold were led by junior Meredith Eitel's five groundballs and a caused turnover. Palomba picked up three groundballs and senior Josey Storm had two groundballs. In net, junior Jessica Harclerode made 13 saves and recorded two groundballs.
 
(1) #1 TAMPA 14, (5) #6 SAINT LEO 11
The host team wasted no time scoring, as they jumped out to a 2-0 lead less than three minutes into the game. The lead doubled to four later in the quarter after a pair of goals in less than 20 seconds. Saint Leo found the back of the net off the stick of junior Holly Hill. The Lions cut the lead to two just moments later as senior Ava Valenti scored on a feed from Nuss. The Spartans took a three-goal lead into the second quarter after scoring in the final minute.
 
Just as the opening quarter began, Tampa scored two rapid fire goals early in the second quarter to take a five-goal lead, which proved to be the largest lead of the game. Hill added her second goal of the day shortly before Wood scored to cut the lead to three as halftime approached.
 
Saint Leo continued what proved to be a 5-0 run spanning the middle two quarters as three-straight goals by Nuss, Palomba, and Wood teamed up to tie the game at 7-7. The Spartans responded with three straight goals to take a 10-7 lead as the quarter progressed. Wood and Palomba scored late in the frame for the Lions to make it a 10-9 Spartan advantage heading into the final quarter.
 
Palomba scored a second-straight goal for Saint Leo as her two goals came just 55 seconds of game time apart to tie the game at 10-10. However, Tampa had a ferocious response, igniting a 4-0 run to take a 14-10 lead. Palomba scored her fourth goal of the game with 3:09 remaining with what proved to be the final goal of the game as the Lions defense held the Spartans off the board over the final 5:45 of the game.
 
UP NEXT
The Lions will wait to see what their fate is regarding the 2025 NCAA Division II Women's Lacrosse regional tournament. As of the latest rankings released on April 23, the Lions were ranked fifth in the region. The NCAA selection show is scheduled for May 4 and can be watched at NCAA.com. The time of the selection show will be released at a date closer to May 4.