Peach Belt Champ Flagler Enters Top 10 in D-II Men's Top 20

The world of Division II men’s lacrosse didn’t even need to wait for the weekend to get nuts. The Sunshine State Conference semifinals were played midweek, and an overtime thriller between Molloy and Mercy was decided in the most unlikely of ways.

Tampa dispatched Embry-Riddle in convincing fashion, 21-4. A 5-1 first quarter ballooned into an 11-3 halftime lead, and then a 7-0 third quarter erased all hope of Embry-Riddle hanging with the top team in the land. Eighteen players registered a point for Tampa, Connor Theriault only needed to make four saves and Michael Flores and Jordan Naso dominated faceoffs. 

The other half of the SSC semifinals was where the fireworks were. Rollins, after going winless in March, is undefeated in April. The Tars avenged a 14-7 loss to Lynn by upsetting the Knights 12-11. Rollins went on a 4-0 run in the fourth quarter to go from down 9-7 to up 11-9. Lynn fought back, but a goal from Seth Isenhour with 41 seconds to go secured the win and kept Rollins' season alive.

The Sunshine State championship looked like a rock fight between undefeated Tampa and upstart challenger Rollins, but rock fights often turn out to be one-sided affairs. The game fell into halftime with Tampa holding a 4-3 lead, as both teams had difficulty finding the back of the net. The Spartans’ effort couldn’t be denied forever, as they broke through in the third quarter to make it 8-3 going into the final stanza. Rollins got a couple goals back, but the damage was done. Tampa won the Sunshine State championship 11-5. 

The result that made the most waves, though, was Mercy’s win over Molloy. After Devon Duchnowski scored to put Mercy up by three late, Molloy rattled off three straight — two from Brian Green — to send it to overtime. In OT, Molloy won the faceoff and called a timeout. The Lions got four good looks at the goal, missing wide on the first, hitting the post on the second and missing wide on the third. 

After backing up a shot, Justin Palusis attacked from the end line, but Cameron Dorfman made the low save. As he started the clear, Dorfman fired a full-field shot into an open net. Clips of the full-field game-winning goalie goal immediately went viral, with Michael McGinnis screaming on the call, as the win secured the regular season ECC crown for Mercy.

Elsewhere, in the final game of conference play in the GLVC, UIndy tamped down a normally energetic Maryville offense with long possessions of its own and great tempo control to score a notable 13-12 upset. The Saints found themselves behind for the majority of the game, constantly playing catch-up with the Greyhounds, who would score and then elongate shot clocks by drawing fouls or getting the ball back on the ride to go right back into their set. But Maryville isn't a team that can be held under water forever, and the Saints made a furious fourth quarter run to tie it. But then disaster struck.

A slip from a Maryville attackman on a routine carry behind the cage in the final 45 seconds popped the ball out, and the Greyhound hit the break immediately. The Maryville D dropped into the hole and tried to cover every loose body, but it was too late. Nathan Lamb found himself on the doorstep all alone to give UIndy the lead with 22 seconds left. 

With Rockhurst upending Lewis 8-7 in the other GLVC season-ending tilt, the fight for the GLVC championship looks to be wide open going into the playoffs on Thursday.

On Sunday, North Greenville beat Belmont Abbey 6-5 to secure the Conference Carolinas title. North Greenville is undefeated in conference play. The low score wasn’t for lack of effort. Both teams took 23 first-half shots but combined for seven first-half goals. Only two goals in the game were assisted, as teams struggled with matchups. Jack Clough’s natural hat trick in the second quarter sparked Belmont Abbey to a lead at the break, but the North Greenville defense clamped, allowing just one shot on goal in the third quarter.

Flagler completed its historic run through the Peach Belt by besting Lander in the semifinals 11-10. It was a measure of sweet, sweet revenge for the Saints, who were downed by the Bearcats just last weekend. They will face Colorado Mesa in the final on May 2.

It’s conference tournament season across the country, but if this weekend’s games are any indication, the wildest results are still to come in Division II.

Continue below to see the entire Top 20, which is compiled by USA Lacrosse Magazine staff and contributors.

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