The Gators move to 6-0 all-time in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Coach Amanda O’Leary won her 400th game, becoming the ninth coach in NCAA History to reach that mark and the fourth in Division l history.
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – For the 13th consecutive season, the Florida lacrosse team (18-2, 6-0 AAC) will be moving on to the second round of the NCAA Tournament, as they defeated the North Carolina Tar Heels (10-7, 6-3 ACC) by a score of 17-8 on Friday night. The Gators move to 6-0 all-time in first round play and have now won 18 consecutive games.
The Gators never trailed in this one, and held a lead for 56:15 out 60:00 in the game. Florida led by as many as 10 goals and snaps the Tar Heels streak of 20 consecutive first round matchup victories.
Florida had three player record hat-tricks, as Emily Heller, Josie Hahn and Maggi Hall all recorded three goals in the victory. Hall captured her 100th career point, becoming the second player to achieve that in Florida history.
Sarah Falk totaled her seventh multi-goal game of the season, scoring two goals, along with one each from Madison Waters, Gianna Monaco, Gabbi Koury, Ashley Gonzalez, Paisley Eagan and Danielle Pavinelli.
Florida had nine assists compared to the Tar Heels one. Gonzalez (four) and Pavinelli (three) combined for seven of the teams assists, with help from Monaco and Eagan recording one a piece. Gonzalez moved into second all-time in assists at Florida.
Elyse Finnelle was a show stopper in net, tying a career high of 14 saves. She held the Tar Heels to 1 of 6 on free position shots, keeping them below their season average of .405 percent. She was the difference, as Florida only outshot the Tar Heels 32-31 in shots and 23-22 in shots on goals. The Gators won the draw control battle 19-11, led by Liz Harrison who had seven on the evening. Falk, Eagan and Hannah Heller contributed with three apiece.
Coach Amanda O’Leary won her 400th career game this evening, becoming just the fourth coach in NCAA Division l history to reach that mark. She holds a career record of 400-124.
How It Happened
* The Gators struck first for the 18th time this season. Monaco fed Emily Heller cutting back door on the right wing, as she inched in and patiently found the back of the cage at the 12:02 mark to make it 1-0.
* After a Tar Heels goal at the 11:20 mark, Florida answered with a 3-0 run of their own in a two minute and 58 second span. Falk scored at the 10:33 mark off an unassisted dodge, followed by a Gonzalez dish from behind the net to a cutting Koury for the finish. Pavinelli concluded the run, as she took the lane given to her on the left wing before cutting back to her right for the score on the edge of the crease. The Gators led 4-1 at the 7:35 media timeout.
* A Tar Heels goal with 4:38 left was answered by UF with 2:42 remaining, as Pavinelli fed an open Monaco near the crease who buried it into the back of the cage to give Florida a 5-2 advantage after one. Finnelle totaled five saves in the quarter.
Second Quarter
* The Gators displayed smooth individual skill to start the quarter, as Waters (14:14) and Hall (12:58) both left their defenders in the dust, scoring unassisted goals to make the lead 7-2 just over two minutes into the quarter.
* North Carolina scrapped back with three consecutive scores, before Heller scored a much-needed goal, launching a bouncer past the keeper on the run to her right to give UF an 8-5 lead at the under eight-minute media timeout.
* A Tar Heels score at the 5:20 mark was answered by another 3-0 Gators run to end the half.
* Gonzalez moved into second all-time in assists at UF, with her 95th career assist, finding Eagan for the goal at the 4:15 mark. 57 seconds later, Hall had her defender on skates, scoring her second unassisted goal of the game. Florida concluded the run, as Pavinelli found Gonzalez for the score at the 1:17 mark to tie the largest lead of the game at 11-6.
Third Quarter
* Bragg caused two turnovers out of the break, before Falk found pay dirt at the 8:47 mark for her second unassisted goal of the game to push the lead to six.
* On the player-up advantage, Pavinelli found Hahn for her first score of the game, as the Gators led 13-6 with 4:25 remaining.
* UF Held the Tar Heels to 0-7 shooting in the third quarter and 0-2 on free position opportunities. Finnelle corralled four saves in the frame as the Gators clung onto a seven-goal advantage.
Fourth Quarter
* North Carolina scored first just over two minutes into the quarter, but the Gators answered on a three player-up advantage, as Gonzalez fed Hahn for the score to make it 14-7 with 9:27 remaining.
* Florida scored three straight goals in a 4:04 time period, as Emily Heller connected on an eight-meter opportunity (6:00), followed by goals from Hall and Hahn to give them both hat-tricks off assists from Eagan and Gonzalez. It was all Gators, who held a 17-7 lead with 1:56 remaining.
* A late goal from North Carolina was the end of it, as the Gators defeated the Tar Heels by a score of 17-8.
Key Notes
* The Gators get their a win over the Tar Heels for the first time since 2018 and improve to 4-13 all-time against them
* This was the largest margin of victory over North Carolina, which was previously seven in 2018
* Florida moves to 6-0 all-time in first round play, and have outscored their opponent by a total margin of 103-51
* The Gators have now had 11 games this season with 10 or more goal scorers
* Florida moves to 5-2 this season against ranked opponents
Season/Career Highs
Josie Hahn – tied a career high three goals
Elyse Finnelle – tied a career high 14 saves
Ashley Gonzalez – tied a season high four assists
Sarah Falk – tied a season high three draw controls
Theresa Bragg – tied a career high two caused turnovers
Active Streaks (eight games or better)
* Maggi Hall<https://floridagators.com/sports/womens-lacrosse/roster/maggi-hall/16408>: points (39)
* Liz Harrison<https://floridagators.com/sports/womens-lacrosse/roster/liz-harrison/16409>: draw controls (21)
* Danielle Pavinelli<https://floridagators.com/sports/womens-lacrosse/roster/danielle-pavinelli/16417>: points (19)
* Ashley Gonzalez<https://floridagators.com/sports/womens-lacrosse/roster/ashley-gonzalez/16405>: points (19)
* Elyse Finnelle<https://floridagators.com/sports/womens-lacrosse/roster/elyse-finnelle/16402>: saves (12)
* Paisley Eagan draw controls (8)
Next up
The Gators (18-2, 6-0 AAC) will take on fifth-seeded Virginia (15-4, 6-3 AAC) for the first time in program history on Sunday at 1 p.m. in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The game will be at Klockner Stadium, and streamed on ESPN+.
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