LAKELAND, Fla. - Saint Leo university men's lacrosse opened their first road game of the year with a win over Florida Southern, 13-9.  The Lions controlled possession throughout the contest, executed a perfect wire to wire victory over the Mocs while seeing 10 different players score. 

First Quarter: 

Saint Leo opened the game with confidence, striking for three goals in the opening period while dictating tempo on both ends. Senior Greg Palmer set the tone early with the game's first goal at 12:15, and the Lions continued to generate high-quality looks through crisp ball movement. Additional finishes from sophomore Brady Moltisanti and senior Aidan Knoetgen helped Saint Leo build a 3–1 lead before a late FSC goal trimmed the margin to 3–2 after one. 

Second Quarter: 

The Lions erupted for their most dominant stretch of the afternoon, pouring in five goals while suffocating Florida Southern's transition game. Saint Leo's depth took over as sophomore Anderson Smith, senior John Raucci, sophomore Maverick Chernoff, junior Brayden Stellwagen, and senior James Davies all found the back of the net. Senior AJ Carlo fueled the surge with two assists, while goalie Drew Wheeler added an assist of his own. The Lions lead 8–4 going into the half.  

Third Quarter: 

Saint Leo maintained its rhythm coming out of the break, continuing to move the ball efficiently and capitalize on defensive stops. A team forced turnover led to an early goal, followed by a sharp finish from Knoetgen off a feed from Palmer. Moments later, Palmer buried his third of the day to extend the lead. Though Florida Southern managed a pair of goals, the Lions' composure and ball security carried them to an 11–6 advantage entering the fourth. 

Fourth Quarter: 

The Lions closed the game with another composed offensive push, adding two more goals to secure the road victory. Palmer delivered a man up goal early in the quarter, his fourth of the afternoon, before senior Ben Baker sealed the win with a late unassisted finish. Multiple Lions contributed down the stretch, showing the team's depth and balance as Saint Leo improved to 3–0 on the season, securing their first road win of 2026 as well.  

Stat Leaders: 

Greg Palmer: 4 goals, 1 assist 

Aidan Knoetgen: 2 goals, 3 assists 

Drew Wheeler: 9 saves, 9 GA, full 60 minutes 

The men's lacrosse team will have a week off before returning home for a match against Catawba College on Saturday, Feb. 28 at 12 P.M.