MELBOURNE, Fla. – Despite a torrid first half, the RV Embry-Riddle men's lacrosse team was upended by RV Florida Tech at Rick Stottler Field on Saturday, 16-14. The Eagles (6-5, 2-2 SSC) held a 13-9 lead after three periods, but were outscored in the fourth by the Panthers (4-6, 3-1 SSC), 7-1.
 
Three Eagles registered hat tricks on the day offensively, led by Pete Abbes' five goals on 11 shots. Coleman Jacobs put together another four-goal effort, while Marcus Needham netted his third hat trick of the year and added an assist for four points. Isaiah Hines eclipsed the career 100-point mark – the third to do so in Eagles history – adding a pair of assists, while Christian Hofer collected three points on a goal and two assists as well. 
 
Stepping in goal for the Eagles was Carter Groezinger once again, and the sophomore did well to collect nine saves on the afternoon in all 60 minutes of action. Groezinger made some big stops along the way in the effort.
 
Christopher Harper and Jacobs got together for the first goal of the morning with a nice move from Harper to find Jacobs to put the Eagles up 1-0 early. After FIT evened the ledger, Abbes fired in a shot with just one second left on the man-up opportunity to make it 2-1 ERAU.
 
But the Panthers reeled off five in a row to close the first and open up the scoring in the second period. Once again in a man-up scenario, the Eagles capitalized as Hines fed Needham who whipped a shot, starting the Blue & Gold's scoring stretch. The Eagles outmuscled FIT in the second period, 7-1. Needham bookended the period with scores, the second of which came with just three ticks left in the half. Jacobs potted two goals and Abbes added two more himself, while Hofer rounded out the strong second period as the Eagles took a 9-7 lead into the break.
 
Jacobs opened things up after half time with a goal at the 13:35 mark, then the two sides promptly traded two goals apiece, one from Hines and one from Needham, while Abbes' fourth goal of the day came with 1:37 left in the third to put the Eagles up by four at the end of the third, seemingly with things in hand.
 
But Florida Tech went on a tear, racketing in seven unanswered goals in the final period while ERAU tried to get things going. It wasn't until 32 seconds left that the Eagles finally connected on a score, Abbes' fifth of the afternoon, but by then it was too late as the Panthers ran away with the 16-14.
 
The Eagles will stay in the tough part of their schedule in SSC play next week with a trip to Rollins on Wednesday at 8 p.m. before hosting Saint Leo on Saturday at 3 p.m. for Senior Day at ERAU Lacrosse Field.