MELBOURNE, Florida - Fresh off its first-ever Sunshine State Conference win last Saturday, the Embry-Riddle men's lacrosse team nearly registered its second SSC victory on Wednesday afternoon against the 14th-ranked Florida Tech Panthers, but the home team was able to just hold on against the Blue and Gold, 15-12. The Eagles (4-11, 1-4 SSC) turned around a five-goal deficit after the third quarter, scoring five straight at one point in the final period to get within one goal of the Panthers (9-4, 4-1 SSC) with about five minutes to play, and having two shots that would have tied the contest, but the Panthers were able to stop the Eagle momentum and score the final two goals of the day to take the 15-12 decision.

It was the Eagles that scored first, holding a 1-0 lead after a Gage Poindexter score less than 60 seconds into the game, and after an equalizing goal from FT, Christian Hofer scored the first of his three goals in the contest, putting the Eagles back in front, 2-1.

The hosts and visitors went more than five minutes without scoring following Hofer's goal, but the home team was able to break through twice in the final four minutes, taking a 3-2 lead after one.

Mark Urso, who finished the day winning 63% of his face offs, won the opening face off the second quarter, and Coleman Jacobs quickly tied the game with his 34th goal of the year. Marcus Needham added a score a few minutes later as the Eagles again enjoyed a one-goal advantage.

FT was able to beat Lucas Fraser four times over a four-minute span late in the half, going up 7-4 with 90 seconds to play, but Needham got his second goal of the game with mere seconds remaining to give the Eagles a little momentum heading into the break.

The third quarter was controlled by the No. 14 Panthers. They scored five goals to just two for the Eagles (Pete Abbes and Joe Anderson each with one), and led it 12-7 after three quarters.

Florida Tech scored the first goal of the fourth quarter more than three minutes into the period, but from the 11:48 mark to the five-minute mark, the Blue and Gold dominated, starting at the face off spot with Urso. The Eagle junior won five of the next six face offs, and ERAU took advantage, getting a score from Anderson, and then Jacobs to get within 13-9 with 7:47 on the clock.

Abbes' second goal of the game got the Eagles to within three, and Embry-Riddle added two more goals, both from Hofer, over the next 90 seconds, the last of which cut the Eagle deficit to 13-12.

Urso won the ensuing face off, and the Eagles had shots from both Jacobs and Gavin Madden that would have tied the game, but the Panthers were able to escape any further damage and sealed the game with a pair of goals over the final three minutes.

Hofer's hat trick was the third of the season for him, and he also added two assists for a five-point day. Jacobs, Abbes, Needham and Anderson each finished with two goals.

Fraser, who broke his own program single-season saves record last week, now stands at 181 saves on the year after adding 11 on Wednesday.

Urso continued his recent string of dominance at the face off position with 19 wins in 30 attempts, as the Eagles have strung together nine consecutive games winning the face off battle.

Embry-Riddle stays on the road to take on Palm Beach Atlantic on Saturday, April 16 at 4 p.m. in West Palm Beach.