Florida wins the in-state rivalry and extends its win streak to 10 games
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The ninth-ranked Florida lacrosse team topped the No. 22 Jacksonville Dolphins in a defensive 12-6 battle on Wednesday evening at Donald R. Dizney Stadium.
The Gators (12-4, 4-0 AAC) have won 10-straight games and finish the home portion of the schedule with a 6-2 record. The Dolphins fall to 11-4 overall in the 2002 campaign.
Emily Heller led the way offensively, tallying her second hat trick of the season with a team-high three goals. Emerson Cabrera, Paisley Eagan, Emma LoPinto and Danielle Pavinelli each found the back of the cage twice, while Ashley Gonzalez added a score of her own.
Eagan and Gonzalez each dished out a team-high two helpers on the night, while Maggi Hall and LoPinto added one assist apiece.
Florida won 14-of-22 draw controls, with Liz Harrison recording a team-best six in the victory. Heller added three, while five Gators each tallied one on the night.
The Gator defense held the Dolphins to a .194 shooting percentage, keeping them to just 6-of-31 from the field. As a team, Florida tallied seven caused turnovers, led by two from Leigh Lingo.
Eagan picked up a team-high three groundballs in the victory, while Heller, Sarah Reznick, Emma Wightman and Maeson Tydings each registered two in the game.
Reznick was lights out in the cage, recording 11 saves with a .647 save percentage in 59:00 of play. Julia Hammerschlag posted two saves of her own while allowing no goals, giving her a 1.000 save percentage.
The Gators close out the regular season at East Carolina on Saturday, looking to secure the outright AAC Championship. Opening draw is slated for 11 a.m. and the game will be streamed on ESPN+.
Records
No. 9 Florida (12-4, 4-0 AAC)
No. 22 Jacksonville (11-4, 5-0 ASUN)
How it Happened
* Florida jumped out to the early 3-0 lead within the first five minutes of the game, with Danielle Pavinelli netting two of the three goals to move her to 55 on the year.
* Paisley Eagan’s first goal of the day was sandwiched between the Pavinelli scores, with the redshirt junior tallying her 17th goal of the season.
* Jacksonville cut Florida’s deficit to just one at 3-2 with 6:55 left in the first quarter, but Emily Heller and Emerson Cabrera went back-to-back within the span 30 seconds to put the Gators up 5-2.
* Both teams were held scoreless for the final 4:39 of the first frame, but Emma LoPinto netted her first of the day on a pass from Ashley Gonzalez just under three minutes into the second to give UF the four-goal advantage.
* Just under two minutes later, Heller found the back of the cage for the second time, this time on a pass from Eagan to put Florida up 7-2 and force a Jacksonville timeout with 10:18 left in the half.
* The Gators kept it rolling with their fifth-straight goal, this time from the stick of Cabrera to take the six-goal lead. The Dolphins would get one back, but LoPinto found the cage for the final score for either team in the half, with Florida taking the 9-3 lead into the locker room.
* Both the Gators and the Dolphins only scored one goal in the third frame, with Florida’s goal coming from the stick of Gonzalez for her first of the day.
* Eagan added an insurance goal for Florida to start the fourth quarter, pulling the Gators ahead seven goals.
* The Dolphins got one back just under three minutes later, but Heller answered with her third goal of the day to put Florida back ahead seven goals with 5:57 left to play.
* JU scored the final goal of the game with 4:10 left, but the Gators held on for the 12-6 victory.
Notables
* The Gators improve to 11-1 in the all-time series against Jacksonville
* UF improves to 2-1 in night games during the 2022 campaign and 37-8 (.822) in night games all-time
* In the confines of Donald R. Dizney Stadium, the Gators are now 114-21 (.844)
* Streaking: Sarah Reznick has recorded a save in 45-straight games, the second-longest streak in program history
* Streaking: Danielle Pavinelli has registered a point in 19-straight games
* Streaking: Emma LoPinto has tallied a point in 13-straight games
* Streaking: Emily Heller has recorded a draw control in 16-straight games
* Streaking: Liz Harrison has recorded a draw control in 13-straight games
* Streaking: Emma Wightman has caused a turnover in six-straight games, tied for the fifth-longest streak in program history
Career-Highs
* Emily Heller tied her career-high in goals (3)
* Catherine Flaherty registered her first career draw control
* Sarah Reznick tied her career-best with one caused turnover
* Julia Hammerschlag tied her career-high with a 1.000 save percentage and no goals allowed
* Paisley Eagan tied her career-best with three groundballs
Insight from O’Leary
On the tough defense they faced
* “In the first half, we played a little more tentative with the ball. We were not as aggressive as I would have liked to see us, but in the second half we adjusted really well. Defensively, we had much more confidence bringing the ball up and out and finding the open players.”
Up Next
* The Gators close out the regular season at East Carolina on Saturday, looking to secure the outright AAC Championship
* Opening draw is slated for 11 a.m. and the game will be streamed on ESPN+
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