GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The Gators lacrosse team got what it wanted on Friday afternoon, a victory over Mercer in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. No surprise there. Florida has now ended Mercer’s season two years in a row.
The surprise is that the Gators got a tougher game than expected from the Bears, winning 19-12 at Dizney Stadium. In the two previous meetings between the programs, Florida outscored the Bears 42-10.
“They definitely had a game plan for us and that was obvious,” said UF fourth-year junior Paisley Eagan<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D14807&d=DwIFAg&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=l_iTkI0iZrd35nDMvEJHUtKZXpCUU3QMcMcrnb_jM3U6i7Ji-FaCQzmr3I_lODu3&s=PaopvfpOou-60jVEmLzxaRiHdamcYzXLtV-2_oWQr0Q&e= >. “I think they executed that well. I just think we executed our game plan better.”
The No. 7-seed Gators were just too good in the end, highlighted by a game-high five goals from sophomore Ashley Gonzalez<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D14809&d=DwIFAg&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=l_iTkI0iZrd35nDMvEJHUtKZXpCUU3QMcMcrnb_jM3U6i7Ji-FaCQzmr3I_lODu3&s=a_vuTSLbrje6j5XYHQWi5l9tQuB3NTqSQKBoIoFz44Q&e= > and four from Danielle Pavinelli<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D14825&d=DwIFAg&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=l_iTkI0iZrd35nDMvEJHUtKZXpCUU3QMcMcrnb_jM3U6i7Ji-FaCQzmr3I_lODu3&s=JU6GwBP2jki-mAHp9ltuibCpqFdnNgbei3XKk8L-WHU&e= >.
Florida started to flex late in the first half, reeling off four consecutive goals to turn a 6-5 advantage into a 10-6 halftime lead. Mercer continued to pressure the Gators after halftime, but after back-to-back goals from Maggi Hall<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D14810&d=DwIFAg&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=l_iTkI0iZrd35nDMvEJHUtKZXpCUU3QMcMcrnb_jM3U6i7Ji-FaCQzmr3I_lODu3&s=VspSSe3PDebnQYM0eIe9gsqGVgZXe-MoJ2jykeHbNTo&e= > midway into the third quarter, Florida (16-4) had some wiggle room on the way to Sunday’s second-round matchup against the Jacksonville-Stanford winner.
“I credit Mercer. They came out ready to play. Got us on our heels,” UF head coach Amanda O’Leary<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_coaches.aspx-3Frc-3D1422&d=DwIFAg&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=l_iTkI0iZrd35nDMvEJHUtKZXpCUU3QMcMcrnb_jM3U6i7Ji-FaCQzmr3I_lODu3&s=9Pl2s7Y1VU1_F5dVsJahsNgGbPDgYvq3Hh-dub0GjgA&e= > said. “But then I think our team responded pretty well. Came in, did what they needed to do and kind of pulled away. I’m just glad we were able to respond.”
The Gators won their 14th consecutive game and beat Mercer (14-5) for the second time during the streak. UF drilled the Bears 19-5 on March 30. Meanwhile, the Gators beat Mercer for the second consecutive season in the first round of the NCAA Tournament after knocking out the Bears 23-5 a year ago.
While the Gators never trailed, Mercer overcame a 4-1 deficit to tie the game on Hailey Rhatigan’s unassisted goal with 1:05 remaining in the first quarter. But right before the period ended, Pavinelli scooped up a bounce pass in the circle and scored the go-ahead goal with 3.5 seconds left.
The score energized the crowd and the home team.
“Any time you can get those goals late in the shot clock, whether it’s late in the game or throughout the game, I think they are momentum changers,” O’Leary said. “I thought our team did really well to manage the shot clock and basically manage the game clock.”
The Gators broke the ice Friday on a goal from Paisley Eagan<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D14807&d=DwIFAg&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=l_iTkI0iZrd35nDMvEJHUtKZXpCUU3QMcMcrnb_jM3U6i7Ji-FaCQzmr3I_lODu3&s=PaopvfpOou-60jVEmLzxaRiHdamcYzXLtV-2_oWQr0Q&e= > with 10:39 left in the opening quarter. Up to that point, Mercer (14-5) had controlled the pace.
Thirty-nine seconds after her first goal, Eagan struck again for a 2-0 UF lead.
“When you are playing in this NCAA Tournament, it’s kind of nerve-wracking,” Eagan said. “Just having that in back of the net, kind of like gave everybody this green light.”
Mercer attempted to put up a road block to the second round, but the Gators kept knocking it down.
“We always want to come out hard and play hard from the beginning,” Gonzalez said. “We came out a little slow today, but I think once we found our groove, we’re pretty hard to stop.”
NOTES FILE
* Florida improves to 11-10 all-time in the NCAA Tournament
* The Gators are now 3-0 against Mercer, including a 2-0 record in the 2022 campaign
* UF is 135-5 (.964) when facing teams not ranked in the IWLCA/ILWomen Top-25 poll
* Florida is 115-21 (.846) in the friendly confines of Donald R. Dizney Stadium
* When scoring at least 14 goals, the Gators are 165-2 in program history
* With four goals today, Danielle Pavinelli<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D14825&d=DwIFAg&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=l_iTkI0iZrd35nDMvEJHUtKZXpCUU3QMcMcrnb_jM3U6i7Ji-FaCQzmr3I_lODu3&s=JU6GwBP2jki-mAHp9ltuibCpqFdnNgbei3XKk8L-WHU&e= > is now just (three) goals away from becoming Florida’s 15th 100-goal scorer
* With her three points this afternoon, Emma LoPinto<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D14840&d=DwIFAg&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=l_iTkI0iZrd35nDMvEJHUtKZXpCUU3QMcMcrnb_jM3U6i7Ji-FaCQzmr3I_lODu3&s=qxz8JANFEOg4D-PHCrsKN_9P2iSd1w-07pE4zI5QLgQ&e= > now sits just nine points away from the 100-point milestone. She would be the first Florida freshman to hit the mark and will be the 20th Gator overall
* Sarah Reznick<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D14828&d=DwIFAg&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=l_iTkI0iZrd35nDMvEJHUtKZXpCUU3QMcMcrnb_jM3U6i7Ji-FaCQzmr3I_lODu3&s=dqBI_buXLgvooy3-Oft5QZoCCbSG1mK4uhyTkfdnEvA&e= > has tallied a save in 49-straight games, the second-longest streak in program history
* Danielle Pavinelli<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D14825&d=DwIFAg&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=l_iTkI0iZrd35nDMvEJHUtKZXpCUU3QMcMcrnb_jM3U6i7Ji-FaCQzmr3I_lODu3&s=JU6GwBP2jki-mAHp9ltuibCpqFdnNgbei3XKk8L-WHU&e= > has registered a point in 23-straight games
* Emma LoPinto<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D14840&d=DwIFAg&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=l_iTkI0iZrd35nDMvEJHUtKZXpCUU3QMcMcrnb_jM3U6i7Ji-FaCQzmr3I_lODu3&s=qxz8JANFEOg4D-PHCrsKN_9P2iSd1w-07pE4zI5QLgQ&e= > has tallied a point in 17-straight games
* Ashley Gonzalez<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D14809&d=DwIFAg&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=l_iTkI0iZrd35nDMvEJHUtKZXpCUU3QMcMcrnb_jM3U6i7Ji-FaCQzmr3I_lODu3&s=a_vuTSLbrje6j5XYHQWi5l9tQuB3NTqSQKBoIoFz44Q&e= > has dished out an assist in eight-consecutive games, the sixth-longest streak in program history
* Emily Heller<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D14814&d=DwIFAg&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=l_iTkI0iZrd35nDMvEJHUtKZXpCUU3QMcMcrnb_jM3U6i7Ji-FaCQzmr3I_lODu3&s=dcxonxAKy_OQssaWkKrHMXpduHTDrucA_bMhXaWabYI&e= > has recorded a draw control in 21-straight games, tied for the sixth-longest streak in program history
* Liz Harrison<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D14813&d=DwIFAg&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=l_iTkI0iZrd35nDMvEJHUtKZXpCUU3QMcMcrnb_jM3U6i7Ji-FaCQzmr3I_lODu3&s=YQPG_j3X2aijQjBdq-QwyMeWlDJJ7tyiqv7nPz2ZXFU&e= > has recorded a draw control in 17-straight games, the ninth-longest streak in program history