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Tag: QUARTER

  • ‘Disappearing like dominos’: Scientists seek to save endangered species in China’s longest river

    ‘Disappearing like dominos’: Scientists seek to save endangered species in China’s longest river

    Scientists have called for additional measures to regulate shipping on the Yangtze River.

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    A dozen sleek grey Yangtze finless porpoises glide inside a vast pool at the Institute of Hydrobiology in Wuhan.
    They are part of a project by scientists to find ways to protect and breed the rare mammals in China’s longest river.

    The Yangtze River is one of the busiest inland waterways in the world with 16 major ports, and the finless porpoise has become a barometer of the river’s health.
    The population of the mammal has plunged in the last decades, and scientists fear other species will follow suit.

    China’s longest river is suffering as shipping traffic surges

    Cargo shipping volume along the Yangtze River topped four billion metric tons in 2024, according to state media.
    The traffic is damaging the waterway’s ecosystem, as evidenced by the sharp decline in the number of finless porpoises living there.
    The population of the critically endangered species plunged from over 2,500 in the 1990s to just 1,012 in 2017 due to pollution, boat traffic and illegal fishing that depleted food supplies, researchers said.The finless porpoise has become a barometer of the river’s health. The finless porpoise has become a barometer of the river’s health.
    Ng Han Guan/Copyright 2025 The AP. All rights reserved

    The change alarmed the scientific community, including veteran researcher Wang Ding. He led an international team on a 2006 search for Baiji dolphins, another species that was nearing extinction.
    Despite a nine-day search, not a single dolphin was found and the Baiji was declared functionally extinct. The last captive Baiji dolphin hangs at a museum along with other rare aquatic species.

    Finless porpoise is a barometer of the river’s health

    “We feared that if [the finless porpoise] cannot survive in the Yangtze, the other species will, like dominoes, disappear one by one from the river,” Wang said.

    Conservation efforts have sprung into place. The Yangtze River Protection Law was enacted in 2021, banning fishing for 10 years, relocating factories and prohibiting sewage and chemical runoffs into the river.

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    Today, the population of Yangtze finless porpoises is edging upward at around 1,300.
    To protect the Chinese sturgeon, also a critically endangered species, scientists began artificially breeding and releasing thousands of the fish into the Yangtze with the hope of restoring the wild population.
    Scientists have called for additional measures to regulate shipping on the waterway and for an extension of the 10-year fishing ban.

  • Florida Tech Men’s Lacrosse Team Falls in Final Regular‑Season Game, Eyes SSC Tournament

    Florida Tech Men’s Lacrosse Team Falls in Final Regular‑Season Game, Eyes SSC Tournament

    Space Coast Daily Is Your NO.1 Source For Local Sports

    Florida Tech Lacrosse Wraps Up Season With a Rough Finish

    On a breezy Wednesday night traveling away from home, Florida Tech’s men’s lacrosse squad finished their regular season with a hard‑hit 17‑7 loss to RV Saint Leo. The game started with a spark from the Panthers, but the Lions kept firing on all cylinders, outpacing the Tech team from early on.

    Season Recap in Short

    • Overall Record: 6 wins, 9 losses
    • Final Ranking: No. 6 seed in the upcoming SSC Tournament
    • Key Moment: Early lead by the Panthers that slipped away in the second half

    What the Loss Means

    That 10‑point defeat basically signals that the Panthers will have to lace up harder, fine‑tune their defense, and find new ways to stay in rhythm—especially when the Lily side hits the front end and keeps on hitting it.

    Looking Ahead

    Despite the bittersweet finish, the team takes a silver lining: a tournament spot and a chance to bounce back. The challenge? Keeping those momentum minutes alive.

    Next Steps
    • Head into the SSC Tournament as the #6 seed
    • Revamp the game plan after the shocker
    • Show resilience—turn the loss into motivation, not mystery

    FIRST QUARTER

    Florida Tech Panthers vs. Saint Leo Lions: A Fast‑Paced Opening Day Showdown

    It starts under the late‑afternoon Floridian sun, at the University Turf Stadium. The Panthers kick off the season hoping for a win‑tight finish. At the very first whistle, Jack Cornwell pulls off a lightning‑quick strike 30 seconds after kickoff – the scoreboards flash with a 1‑0 advantage.

    The Lions Respond with Precision

    • Tristan Leblanc finds the back of the net, levelin’ the score and sparking a surge from Saint Leo.
    • Within minutes these Lions go from 0‑0 to 1‑1 and then back to 2‑1 and 3‑1, quickly getting the ball rolling.
    • Aidan Knoetgen and Ben Baker each add a goal. The Lions are on a streak.

    Florida Tech’s Effort Falls Short

    Tech’s defender, Gavin Wessel, tries hard to hold on to the advantage, but the first quarter belongs firmly to the home side.

    Maverick Chernoff’s Blistering Goal‑Scoring Machine

    • Two goals from Chernoff, followed by a third from Knoetgen, power the Lions to a 6‑2 win on the first frame.
    • The scoreboard reads: St. Leo Lions 6 – 2 Florida Tech Panthers.

    In a nutshell, the open‑with‑an‑instant‑goal moment was just the opening act – Saint Leo turned the stadium into a whirlwind of offense, while the Panthers were left chasing a distant dream.

    SECOND QUARTER

    Second Period Shakes Things Up

    Glints of Hope

    The game swung into the second period with a flicker of optimism. Carson Mann slipped a goal past the net, and Brett Nastos had a hand in setting it up, making it look like a comeback might be on the horizon.

    But Lions Had Other Plans

    Instead of keeping the momentum, the Lions had a different agenda. Five unanswered goals turned a tight situation into a runaway.

    • Michael Guenther – first of the surge
    • Zach Kroog – captured the score twice
    • Thomas Nelan – added the fourth strike
    • JD Henninger – settled the fifth

    Halftime Wrap‑up

    That left the scoreboard at a sharp 11‑3 before Joe Coveleski‘s last‑minute goal nudged it down to a modest 11‑4 at half‑time.

    THIRD QUARTER

    Florida Tech Stubbornly Stays in the Game

    Despite the scoreboard ticking, the Florida Tech Panthers refused to fold. They steadied the pace, turning the tide in the third quarter.

    Mid‑Quarter Push

    • Rob Gadomski and Brooks Van Esselstyn pulled the team back within a breath of the seal in.

    And Then—Bam! The Momentum Shift

    • Brayden Stellwagen and Shane Jones took it to the next level, smashing the Panthers’ resurgence.
    • They broke that streak with a decisive 13‑6 lead.

    Final 15 Minutes: Close Calls and Final Push

    The game now crunched down to a 15‑minute showdown—each team still fighting for every earned point. The stadium buzzed as the scoreboard flipped with every pass and play.

    FOURTH QUARTER

    Lights Out in Florida Tech —A Glorious Loss

    So, the Lightning Bolts tried to keep their mojo alive in the fourth, but Saint Leo came back with a vengeance. Knoetgen piled up another two goals, finessing his tally to a grand total of four for the night. The Lions, never one to back down, snatched a late consolation goal, sealing the evening on a glorious humown of 17‑7.

    Spotlights On The Night

    • Scoring Fury – Seven different players lit the scoreboard, proving it’s a collective hustle.
    • Goalkeeper Heroics – Jax Francisco rattled 10 saves in 43 minutes, making the net a fortress.
    • Ground‑ball Champion – Shale Saeger hustled his way to a team‑high five ground‑balls, bulldozing past the competition.
    • Assist Legends – Jakob Terpak’s assist lands him 5th in the program’s all‑time list (43), just a single point short of the elite 4th spot. He’s almost there!

    Season Wrap‑up

    Despite the jaw‑dropping loss, the Panthers closed the regular season with a 6‑9 record (2‑5 in the Southern Sports Conference) and now sit at 2‑5 all‑time against Saint Leo.

    Takeaway

    It was a night of guts, grit, and good laughs. The team fought hard and showed heart, earning respect from fans miles away. Florida Tech may have been outscored, but they already got 12 more cheers than the score sheet indicates.

    UP NEXT

    Gear Up for Saturday’s Showdown!

    What’s on the Agenda?

    • Tech, the solid No. 6 seed, is heading to Rollins, the reigning No. 3 Tars, this Saturday, April 19 at 1 PM.
    • It’s the first round of the SSC tournament—big stakes, even bigger nerves.
    • The winner will step into the ring against the formidable No. 2 Lynn Fighting Knights on Wednesday, April 23.

    Why It Matters

    It’s not just bragging rights—though that’s a good perk. The victory keeps the dream alive, the loss… well, it’s a tough break but at least you get a lot of heartbeats to brag about on Instagram.
    Looking forward to seeing who claims the trophy!