Memphis, TN - After a lengthy trek to the western side of Tennessee, the Southern Virginia University men's lacrosse team clashed with non-conference foe Rhodes College.  The first half of the contest was not kind to the Knights as they were stuck in a double-digit deficit by halftime. Despite a strong second half where they outscored their opponents, 8-1, it wasn't enough to bridge the gap in a 16-9 loss.

Rhodes pitched a shutout through the first 23 minutes of the game before Abe Salmon found the back of the net for his tenth of the season. After a forgettable opening two quarters, Salmon led the charge out of the locker room, recording his second of the day. Now, it was the Knights turn to lock things down defensively, relinquishing no goals to their opponents in the third quarter.

After the first five minutes of the fourth and final frame, the Knights were on a 5-0 run. Peyton Merwin and Pierce Brinton linked up for the opening goal of the quarter, and Garrett Zollinger added two more to complete a late hat trick. Tyson Mauri also continued to fill the score sheet, leading the team in scoring yet again with two goals and three assists.

Eventually, Rhodes added an insurance marker with just over five minutes remaining, and the hosts settled for a 16-9 victory. Kanyun Avner and JT Cutrer stood out defensively for Southern Virginia, each causing three turnovers. Jace Lightfoot split time in goal with Daniel Goold, who made three saves while allowing just one goal.

The Knights will play just one more non-conference game before shifting their focus to league play. On Wednesday, March 12th, at 4:00 PM, they'll host Vassar College at Knight Stadium. On Saturday, they'll face their first USA South opponent of the season with a visit to Pfeiffer.

For the most up-to-date information and details on the team visit knightathletics.com and follow @knight_mlax on Instagram.