Under the bright Memphis sun at Crain Field, the Rhodes Lynx secured their place in the Southern Athletic Association Championship with a thrilling 14-11 victory over Southwestern (Tex.) in Friday's semifinal. Fueled by an electrifying performance from Andrew Murphy, who tallied a career high seven goals, the Lynx overcame a late push from Southwestern to punch their ticket to the final.

Rhodes came out firing, building an early lead with a five-goal first quarter, including a trio of quick strikes from Murphy. Drew Downes added to the momentum with three goals of his own, while Gavin Nagle and Liam Sullivan each chipped in with two. Despite a valiant effort from Southwestern, led by Cade McDonald's three-goal, two-assist performance, the Lynx maintained control throughout.

As the clock wound down, Rhodes relied on a balanced attack and defensive grit to fend off Southwestern's final rally. The Lynx held strong, clinching the win and igniting celebrations among the home crowd. 

Now, the stage is set for a championship showdown against their rival, Sewanee, on Sunday at noon. Earlier this season, the Lynx defeated the Tigers 18-14. With the SAA title within reach, Rhodes will look to harness their momentum and home-field advantage to claim the crown, its first since 2019.