ST. LEO, Fla. -- If only the Antelopes would find a way to harness their second half energy early, they would be a different team.

Grand Canyon lost to No. 9/7 St. Leo, 17-8, Thursday night in the second of three road games in Florida. The Antelopes (1-5) found themselves behind the eight-ball early when St. Leo (3-1) jumped out to a 10-1 first half lead.

Grand Canyon matched the Lions in the second half with seven goals, outscoring St. Leo 4-2 in the third period, but a second quarter meltdown put the Lopes in a hole that was too deep to overcome. GCU was outscored 6-1 in the second quarter. St. Leo had four goals in the first quarter, while Grand Canyon failed to find the back of the net early.

But a second half resurgence made things a little more interesting. Jordy Patterson, Jacob Hippensteel and Patrick Murphy each scored within a 2:30 span in the third quarter to help ease the sting of St. Leo's nine straight goals to open the game.

But that's what good teams do, and that's what Grand Canyon is trying to become.

Patterson scored three goals on six shots. Hippensteel echoed those numbers with three goals of his own to push his team-leading total to 12 this season.

Murphy had a goal, two assists and five ground balls, and Billy Lloyd had a goal and an assist.

Bryce Sheldon's work from the center circle has been impressive of late. Sheldon won 17 of 27 faceoffs, an area the Lopes won the battle with the Lions.

But Grand Canyon was outshot, 52-25. St. Leo also scooped up 58 ground balls to GCU's 39.

Antelopes goalkeeper Andrew Hunter made 21 saves. St. Leo's David Erdman stopped eight shots.

St. Leo's Joe Guerin had three goals and six ground balls. Benjamin Brigham had three goals and two assists. John McGinness had seven ground balls.

Grand Canyon plays at Florida Southern in Lakeland, Fla., at 7:00 p.m. EST Friday.

2009-03-07