Tampa Lacrosse Triumphs Over Florida Tech in SSC Championship

Austen Zugelter - Photo credit: James Ragan Photography 

The Tampa Spartans proved why they are the class of the field on Sunday, beating the Florida Tech Panthers 12-8 and earning their fourth straight Sunshine State Conference championship in the process.

Austen Zugelter had a hat trick and Carson Clough had two goals and an assist for the Panthers, in a losing cause. Matt Vetter had three goals and an assist to lead the Spartans.

The first half of the game was tightly contested, with the teams trading goals throughout. Tampa (15-4) jumped out to a 2-0 lead, before Clough and Tyler Covey tallied for the Panthers, tying the game with 5:53 to go in the first quarter.

Sean Herdman scored his second of the day 46 seconds later, but he was answered by Zugelter, with 1:25 to go. As has been the case on a few separate occasions this season, the Panthers gave up a goal late in the period, when Bryan Wright beat Florida Tech goalie Daniel Flock, with two seconds left, giving the host Spartans a 4-3 lead.

Zugelter and Matt Weinstein scored 59 seconds apart early in the second quarter, giving the Panthers their first lead of the day, 5-4. Jake Mosher-McGraw and Conor Whipple answered, giving Tampa a 6-5 lead, with 10:35 to go in the half.

Clough scored 15 seconds later, knotting things up again, before Whipple and Jake Schmidt closed out the first half scoring and sent the Spartans to the locker room, up 8-6.

In the second half, good defense and good goaltending from A.J. Arnold kept the Panthers from getting any closer. Arnold shut the Panthers out in the third quarter and allowed just two goals in the fourth. He made 18 saves in all, while Flock finished with seven saves.

The Panthers (8-7) did have their chances in that third quarter, but came up empty on a couple long possessions. Their fourth quarter goals came 1:10 apart, from Zugelter and Logan Sweeney. At that point, with 12:00 remaining in the game, they were down just two, 10-8.

Unfortunately, that was as close as they would get, as Schmidt and Vetter closed out the scoring for Tampa.

For more info: Florida Tech @ Tampa Box Score (SSC Championship)

Congratulations to the Florida Tech players named to the 2017 SSC All-Tournament team: Logan Sweeney, Nate Menninger and Austen Zugelter. Tampa’s Conor Whipple was named Most Outstanding Player.

The Panthers should be proud of their accomplishments in 2017. Thank you to head coach Ryan McAleavey and the Florida Tech Sports Information Department for their help and cooperation in covering the team this season.


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