Buena Vista, Va. – The Southern Virginia men's lacrosse team kicked off their 2025 season with an exciting 16-13 victory over SCAD, fueled by a dominant fourth quarter and clutch performances from Garrett Zollinger and Tyson Mauri.
The Knights struck first when Peyton Merwin capitalized on a turnover by the SCAD goalkeeper, making a diving shot to give Southern Virginia an early 1-0 lead. The Bees responded with two quick goals before Zollinger found the net off an assist from Mauri to even the game at 2-2.
SCAD controlled much of the first quarter, scoring twice more, but Pierce Brinton gave the Knights momentum heading into the second, scoring with just 12 seconds left off a feed from Isaac Finley.
Southern Virginia surged ahead in the second quarter as Zollinger, Merwin, and Abe Salmon each scored within a four-minute span, with Mauri dishing out two assists to push the Knights in front 6-5. However, SCAD quickly responded with three straight goals in just two minutes, reclaiming the lead.
Refusing to back down, the Knights closed the half strong. Forest Ambridge notched his first goal, followed by Mauri and Clay Haacke, who scored just five seconds apart, sending Southern Virginia into halftime with a 9-8 advantage.
The second half remained a tight battle. SCAD regained control late in the third quarter, with only goals from Mauri and JT Cutrer keeping the Knights within striking distance as they entered the final period tied at 11-11.
The fourth quarter belonged to Southern Virginia. After an early SCAD goal, Zollinger answered with his second of the night, followed by scores from Samuel Terreros and Merwin, all assisted by Mauri in a dominant two-minute stretch.
Zollinger sealed the game with two more goals, including the final dagger off an assist from Merwin, securing the 16-13 win.
The Knights held the edge in shots (54-45), while SCAD kept the game close thanks to a strong performance from goalkeeper Noah Miller, who recorded 17 saves.
Key Performances:
Garrett Zollinger: Led the team with five goals, including two in the final stretch.
Tyson Mauri: Led all players with eight points (two goals, six assists), playing a crucial role in the offensive attack.
Peyton Merwin: Tallied three goals and one assist, opening and closing the scoring for the Knights.
Southern Virginia will stay home and return to action on Saturday, February 8th, when they host Tennessee Wesleyan University at Knight Stadium at 1:00 PM.
For the most up-to-date details and information on the team, follow @knight_mlax and visit knightathletics.com for live stats and streaming options.
