The fourth-seeded Florida lacrosse team plays host to fifth-seeded Duke in the NCAA Lacrosse Championship quarterfinals for a spot in the Final Four in Stony Brook. Opening draw between the Gators and the Blue Devils is set for Saturday, May 21st at 3:00p.m.
Saturday’s game pits the No. 7 offense in the country (Duke: 14.28 goals scored per game) against the No. 11 defense in the country (Florida: 8.74 goals allowed per game). As a team, Duke also ranks seventh in draw controls with 14.72 per game. The Gators have struggled with draw controls as of late, losing the battle of the draw in five of their last six games. Florida is ranked sixth in the nation in win percentage (.842), ninth in scoring margin (5.11) and 13th in scoring offense (13.68).
Eight Gators were bestowed with postseason awards, as head coach Amanda O’Leary was named the American Lacrosse Conference Coach of the Year after leading the Gators to an undefeated ALC regular season and a No. 2 national ranking, while mentoring sophomore attacker Kitty Cullen (Rockville, Md.) to ALC Player of the Year accolades, as well as a Tewaaraton nomination as just a sophomore. Sophomore attacker Ashley Bruns (Ellicott City, Md.), Cullen and sophomore defender Sam Farrell (Millersville, Md.) were named to the ALC First Team. Sophomore midfielder Janine Hillier (Farmingdale, N.Y.), sophomore defender Haydon Judge (Chestertown, Md.) and sophomore goalkeeper Mikey Meagher (Liverpool, N.Y.) were named to the ALC Second Team. Sophomore defender Emily Dohony (Parkton, Md.), Farrell and Hillier were also named to the ALC All-Tournament Team.
Cullen leads the nation in goals scored with 75, while ranking second in goals per game (3.95) and sixth in points scored (83). Meagher is eighth in the nation in goals-against average (8.43) while Bruns is 17th in points overall (70), 27th in assists overall (25) and 34th in points per game (3.89).
Heading into the tournament, the Blue Devils boast a balanced attack, which ranks second in the conference and seventh in the nation in scoring offense (14.28 gpg). Tops on the team in points is All-ACC selection Christie Kaestner (30a, 43a), who also leads the team and the ACC in assists per game (2.33 apg). Following close behind with 70 points is Tewaaraton Trophy finalist Emma Hamm, also an All-ACC honoree, who leads the team in goals (46) and draw controls (65). Additionally, Duke’s midfield contains another pair of All-ACC picks in Kat Thomas (42g, 55dc) and Kim Wenger (16g, 19a).
The Blue Devils are 15-13 all-time in NCAA Championship play, having advanced to five national semifinals in program history. This season marks Duke’s 14th consecutive trip to the tournament as the Blue Devils are one of six teams with consecutive NCAA appearance streaks of five or more years. Duke’s senior class, of which there are seven members, are 5-3 in the NCAA Tournament, reaching the Final Four in 2008 and 2009 and the quarterfinals in 2010.
Game Notes: · While the Gators may not be familiar with NCAA postseason play, the Gator coaches are old pros. With Florida’s berth into the NCAA Championship field, head coach Amanda O’Leary and assistants Erica LaGrow and Caitlyn McFadden now have 17 combined NCAA Lacrosse Championship appearances. As players, the Florida staff led their teams to a combined 12 NCAA appearances out of 12 possible years. This includes six quarterfinal appearances, one National Semifinal and three Championship game appearances. Two of those resulted in National Championships, where O’Leary won the 1988 National Championship with the Temple Owls and McFadden won the 2010 National Championship with the Maryland Terrapins. As a coach, O’Leary led Yale to two NCAA Tournament appearances: 2003 quarterfinals and 2007 first round. As an assistant coach, O’Leary helped the Maryland Terrapins claim the 1992 NCAA title and reach the semifinals in 1993.
· Two Gator transfers also played for teams with NCAA Tournament experience. Junior Caroline Cochran (Annapolis, Md.) was a freshman on a 2009 Virginia Cavaliers team that made it to the NCAA First Round and redshirt freshman Erin Graziano (Mendham, N.J.) was a member of the Syracuse Orange’s Cinderella squad who made it to the National Semifinals only to be defeated by eventual National Champion Maryland, led by current Gator assistant Caitlyn McFadden.
· Each of the three sports Florida has added since 1995 have earned NCAA berths in their second year of play: lacrosse (2011), softball (1998) and soccer (1996).
· Florida is undefeated at home this year (12-0) and has outscored opponents, 165-101, at Dizney Stadium. The Gators have scored in double digits in every one of their home games and have held opponents to 10 goals or less in nine out of 12 home competitions this spring.
· Florida has never defeated an ACC opponent, falling to North Carolina twice in program history (2010: L, 5-18; 2011: L, 9-10 OT). The teams have five common 2011 opponents in Ohio State, Vanderbilt, Georgetown, Northwestern and North Carolina. Florida went 5-2 against common opponents while Duke went 4-2 against common opponents. The ALC went 4-6 against the ACC this season, with Northwestern earning all of the ALC’s victories over the ACC, including defeating Duke on April 2nd, 12-10.
