Tampa Advances to SSC Championship
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5 |
|
|
5 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 17 |
Team Stats
Florida Southern
| Game Statistics | Florida Southern | #2 Tampa |
|---|---|---|
| Shots | 32 | 46 |
| Ground Balls | 19 | 37 |
| Saves | 12 | 14 |
| Clears | 19-22 | 23-22 |
| Turnovers | 15 | 8 |
| Face Offs Won | 13 | 13 |
| Man Up | 0-0 | 0-0 |
TAMPA, Fla. – The No. 2 University of Tampa men's lacrosse team delivered a dominant performance on Wednesday afternoon, defeating Florida Southern, 17–5, at Naimoli Family Athletic and Intramural Complex. With the win, the Spartans improve to 17-1 overall and continue their strong momentum heading into postseason play.
How It Happened
Tampa wasted no time asserting control, exploding for five first-quarter goals to take an early 5–1 lead. Goals from Rex Kesselring, Rafe Bradshaw, Tommy Ortega, Jackson Bashaw, and Desi Arrup highlighted a fast-paced opening frame that set the tone.
The Spartans extended their advantage in the second quarter, outscoring Florida Southern 4–1. Bradshaw added his second of the game, while Connor McDonough and Bashaw found the back of the net late to give Tampa a commanding 9–2 lead at halftime.
Tampa continued its offensive surge in the third quarter, tallying five more goals. Aaron Cho, Grant Green, Eric Burbank, Kyle White, and Matthew Vara all contributed as the Spartans pushed the margin to 14–3 heading into the final period.
In the fourth, Tampa maintained control, adding three more goals from Jacob Pages, Justin Conly, and Zach Johnson to seal the 17–5 victory.
Spartan Performances
- Rex Kesselring led the offense with a standout five-point performance (2 goals, 3 assists).
- Eric Burbank contributed four points (1 goal, 3 assists), while Jackson Bashaw and Rafe Bradshaw each scored twice.
- Aaron Cho added a goal and an assist as part of a balanced Tampa attack that saw 11 different goal scorers.
- The Spartans dominated possession with a 37–19 advantage in ground balls and outshot Florida Southern 46–32.
- In goal, Westin Schmidt earned the win, recording 10 saves in 45 minutes of action.
Up Next
The Spartans will host the SSC Championship on Saturday at 12:00 p.m.