Demorest, GA – The 4th seeded Piedmont College men’s lacrosse team stayed close through three quarters before seeing the top seed Ferrum College pull away late for a 15-8 win at Walker Athletic Complex in the second of two Friday semifinals in the Inaugural Southeast Independent Lacrosse Championship.
Piedmont was outscored 7-2 in the final two quarters after trailing by just a pair at the half. The Lions looked to be headed to the break down a single score, but Ferrum was able to score on a long-distance effort as the buzzer sounded with the goal holding up for an 8-6 Ferrum lead after two quarters.
The Lions were lead by senior Nick Green and junior Taylor Carter who had three goals each as Green was unstoppable early tallying his hat-trick before three minutes had passed in the 2nd quarter. Finishing up his career with the Green and Gold on the night along with nearly a dozen others, Green tied as the top scorer on the team along with Taylor and his 29 this season.
Green scored 16 goals over his final five games during this, his twilight campaign with PC. Another Lions veteran in senior Spencer Ortis also finished out his four years in style as Ortis became one of two Lions to cap 100 goals in a career earlier tonight scoring twice while assisting on two others.
Incredibly, two Lions passed the century in tonight’s game alone as Green’s hat-trick also put him past 100 as he will finish with 102 goals while Ortis comes in just behind with 101.
Ferrum took a 4-2 lead in the first quarter when CJ Asmus posted a goal on a man-up situation with 4:32 remaining in the period, but Green would cut the lead to one with his second goal of the night and score #100 of the career tabbing a goal less than a minute later.
The Panthers would hold a two-goal edge heading into the second when Piedmont again cut it to one staying within striking distance. Another man-up goal for Ferrum put the Panthers ahead 6-4 with just over eight to play before the intermission.
The two went goal for goal with each other through the half with Carter scoring both of Piedmont’s goals in the stretch as the Lions would need to rally in the second half for a chance to play for the SEILC title on Sunday.
However, after a relatively quiet third quarter that did include Ortis’ 100th career score but just three goals combined from the two teams, Ferrum would assume control in the 4th and final quarter outscoring Piedmont five to one in the final dozen minutes of play. The Panthers’ run to end the contest handed Ferrum a 15-8 victory and a spot in the SEILC title game bringing Piedmont’s spring to a close at home.
Mick Baker took the loss in the cage for PC despite posting 21 saves, the 5th time he has posted at least 20 saves in a contest. Baker also made exactly 21 saves in Piedmont’s last contest vs. Ferrum, a regular season meeting between the two on March 21.
SEILC Defensive Player of the Year John Michael Smith took the win for the Ferrum Panthers playing all 60 minutes making eight saves himself. Ryan Tesler led the way offensively for Ferrum with four scores on the night.
The loss wraps up Piedmont’s 2015 campaign as the Lions post a 4-12 record in 16 contests this season.
Ferrum, now 8-9 overall, will move on to meet 3rd seeded Huntingdon College on Sunday, April 19 at 1:00 pm in the SEILC title game.
Live coverage including video and stats free of cost will be available to fans unable to make it out to Walker Athletic Complex courtesy of the Mane Event Broadcasting Network with the MEBN Pre-Game Show featuring Danielle Jenkins starting approximately ten minutes prior to the start of the contest.
