No. 12 Gators Head to Chapel Hill for Matchup Against the Sixth Ranked Tar Heels
Game is set for Saturday at 11 a.m. on ACC Network Extra
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – The 12th ranked Florida lacrosse team will travel to Chapel Hill this weekend to take on No. 6 North Carolina. Opening draw is set for 11 a.m. on ACC Network Extra with Brian Waer on the call.
This is the 16th career meeting between the two schools with Florida trailing 12-3 in the series. The Tar Heels have won the last five matchups, including last season defeating the Gators 12-5 at Dorrance Field in Chapel Hill. This is the first time North Carolina has been ranked outside the top five in a matchup with Florida.
The Gators (0-1) are coming off a road loss to Loyola by a score of 18-10. The Tar Heels (1-1) lost their season opener to AAC counterpart James Madison in overtime by a score of 19-18. They are coming off a 19-6 victory over Liberty on Wednesday.
Coaches Are Used to Winning
Both head coaches in this meeting are in the top four all-time in wins for Division l women’s lacrosse. Amanda O’Leary is fourth all-time in victories with 382, and Jenny Levy is third all-time with 412 career wins. They both enter their 29th season coaching overall.
Gators Insight
In the loss last week, Attacker Maggi Hall led the way with five goals. Hall is currently tied for first in the AAC in goals per game with five. Emily Heller scored two, along with Sarah Falk (first as a Gator), Ava Tighe and Gianna Monaco scoring one each. Gabbi Koury (first career point) and Madison Waters each had an assist.
Tar Heel Outlook
After losing to Denver last season in the Quarterfinals, North Carolina returns a total of seven Preseason All-Americans (ILWomen and USA Lacrosse). The Tar Heels currently have 10 players with at least two goals through the first two games of the season. Ashley Humphrey, a graduate transfer from Stanford currently leads the team with 10 points and is fifth in the nation with that number.
Key Notes
* All three of Florida’s wins against the Tar Heels have come in Chapel Hill
* The Gators have a career 10-21 record against the ACC
* Maggi Hall will face off against her sister Gabi Hall in this matchup (third time they have went head-to-head)
* UF seeks its 13th win over a top-10 team since 2016, and their first on the road since 2020
Moving up the List
* Liz Harrison currently sits one draw control behind Brittany Dashiell for third all-time in school history
* Danielle Pavinelli sits three goals behind Grace Haus for ninth all-time in program history
* Maggi Hall currently sits four points behind Emma LoPinto for 14th all-time in school history and two goals behind Nicole Graziano for 16th all-time in school history
* Paisley Eagan resides two points behind Lauren Lea for 22nd all-time in UF history
* Emily Heller is currently nine goals shy of becoming the 18th player in school history to score 100 goals in a career
Active Streaks
* Maggi Hall: points (20), goals (9)
* Sarah Falk: goals (16)
* Hannah Heller: draw controls: (11)
* Madison Waters: points (9)
* Emily Heller: points (8)
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