Seton Hill took a final break from G-MAC play as they traveled to Sparks, MD and the USA Lacrosse Headquarters for a top 20 matchup with number seven Tampa on Saturday afternoon.
The Spartans jumped out to a 4-1 lead after the first quarter and never trailed in the contest as they defeated the Griffins by the score of 10-8. SHU falls to 9-4 overall while Tampa improves to 13-2 on the season.
Tampa scored twice in the first five minutes of the contest as they took a 2-0 lead over the Griffins.
Vincent Cogliandro scored his first of his five goals at the 8:54 mark of the first period to cut the Tampa lead in half. It did not take the Spartans long to respond as they scored 51 seconds later to push their lead back to 3-1. They extended their lead to 4-1 at the 3:10 mark of the quarter.
Cogliandro scored twice in just over a two minute span as the Griffins got back to within one at 4-3 with 12:41 to play in the first half. Tampa increased their lead back to two with a goal at the 9:37 mark of the second quarter. Cogliandro answered back and cut the lead to 5-4 with 7:50 left in the half. Tampa needed just 35 seconds to push their lead back to two.
Colin Socker scored with 3:40 left in the half as SHU trailed just 6-5 at the halftime break.
The Spartans scored the first three goals of the second half as they extended their lead to four at 9-5 with five minutes to play in the third. Cogliandro scored his fifth of the game with 30 seconds to play in the quarter as SHU trailed by three with the score at 9-6.
Tampa opened the fourth quarter scoring with a goal just under five minutes into the quarter. The Griffins got two goals from
Jeremy Sforzo, one at the 7:52 mark and the other at the 5:50 mark, but the Griffins could get no closer as Tampa was able to run alot of the clock off with possession.
Both teams had 19 shots on goal in the contest.
Cogliandro led the Griffins with five goals and an assist. Sforzo scored twice.
Justin Dian and
Kaden Granberg each picked up an assist.
Josh Miller made nine saves in cage.
SHU will return to G-MAC play on Wednesday evening when they travel to Walsh.