Senior
attack Gabi Wiegand (Bay Shore, N.Y.) scored a team-high four goals and
senior midfielder Brittany Dashiell (Bel Air, Md.) recorded four points
to help No. 2 Florida lacrosse to a 13-5 win over Oregon on a rainy Saturday at
Papé Field. The Gators won their 11th straight game in 2013, and snapped
Oregon’s four-game win streak with the victory.
Wiegand
combined with Dashiell for seven of the Gators’ 13 goals on the
afternoon as they outshot Oregon 29-15. Florida also led in ground balls
(13-10) and draw controls (12-8). Wiegand and Dashiell also combined to help
Florida go 3-for-3 on free positions on the afternoon.
“I
thought those two did a really nice job,” Head coach Amanda O’Leary said.
“Gabi coming in with four goals is what we expect from her and that’s what
Brittany does. She’s going to be an offensive threat and solid through the
midfield along with the defensive end, but I couldn’t be prouder of this group
as a whole for the way they played today.”
The
Gators faced a steady rain for a majority of the game but were unselfish with
the ball, recording six assists with senior attack Caroline Chesterman (South
Nyack, N.Y.) leading the way with two. Senior goalie Mikey Meagher
(Liverpool, N.Y.) recorded five saves in the cage on 14 shots she faced in the
game. Freshman goalie Mary-Sean Wilcox (Lutherville, Md.) also recorded
a save in her three minutes of play in the contest.
Sophomore
midfielder Nora Barry (Marcellus, N.Y.) led with four draw controls
while Dashiell added three. Four Gators recorded team-high two ground balls and
Gilroy caused a team-high three turnovers.
Dashiell
got on the board early for the Gators, scoring three goals before the half. She
found the back of the net for the first goal of the game at the 26:02 mark off
an eight meter free position attempt. She followed it up less than 30 seconds
later on an assist by sophomore midfielder Shannon Gilroy (Northport,
N.Y.).
Oregon
got on the board with 21:27 to play in the half on a Casey Brogan goal, but
senior attack Ashley Bruns (Ellicot City, Md.) followed up with a goal
from behind the crease to make it a 3-1 game and took a 6-1 lead with goals
from Gilroy, Wiegand and senior attack Kitty Cullen (Rockville, Md.).
The Ducks (4-2) chipped in back-to-back goals three and a half minutes apart,
cutting the Gators lead to three.
Florida
closed the half with three-straight goals including a Dashiell goal with 26
seconds left in the half. Florida was able to minimize its turnovers in the
first half, recording just one before the break. They were able to keep their
turnovers to under double-digits for the third time this season with only eight
in the contest.
The
second half was a low-scoring affair, with the two teams combining for just six
goals. Oregon came out and scored the first goal of the half and went to work
on defense, as Chesterman recorded the Orange and Blue’s first goal of the final
half with 10:41 to play. Wiegand would close the game with back-to-back goals
and seal the win.
“I
have to give credit to Oregon,” O’Leary said. “They came out strong in the
second half and had long possessions offensively with a great plan on defense,
really giving us a run for our money.”
With
the win, the Gators improve to 2-0 all-time over the Ducks as they won the
meeting back in 2010 in Gainesville.
