The
second-ranked Florida lacrosse team used five goals from sophomore midfielder Shannon
Gilroy (Northport, N.Y.) to overcome the Ohio State Buckeyes, 13-7, in ALC
play Saturday at Donald R. Dizney Stadium. The Gators remain perfect at 13-0
and mark their first conference win of the season.
Gilroy
chipped in a season-high six points on five goals and an assist while seniors Kitty
Cullen (Rockville, Md.) and Brittany Dashiell (Bel Air, Md.) each
recorded hat tricks as the trio combined for 10 second-half goals to seal their
13th win of the season. The win also marked the Gators’ 11th straight win in
league action, a streak that dates back to May 7, 2010.
“They
(Gilroy, Cullen, Dashiell) are the three people we rely on week in and week
out,” Head coach Amanda O’Leary said. “They’ve delivered in every
occasion and they stuck with the game plan.”
A
defensive battle to start the game, Florida came from behind for the fifth time
this season, as Ohio State (3-5, 0-1 ALC) jumped out to an early 1-0 lead on a
free position goal by Kaila Gottlick 10 minutes into the game.
Goalies
kept the first half a low scoring affair as senior goalie Mikey Meagher recorded
five saves, while the Buckeyes’ Tori DeScenza helped her team saving six of the
Gators’ 16 shots in the half. Overall, UF outshot OSU (33-14) while winning
ground balls (22-10) and draw controls (13-9). Senior defender Kayla Stolins
(Glen Arm, Md.) earned a team-high six draw controls in the win.
“This
Ohio State team is a goal here-or-there away from being an undefeated team,” O’Leary
said. “This is a very good team that we competed against today, and they’re
very well coached and athletic. They scored some pretty great goals on us.”
UF
responded with Gilroy, lined up to take a free position, passing off to senior
attack Caroline Chesterman (South Nyack, N.Y.) to get the Gators on the
board and tie the game at 1-1 at the 8:52 mark. Senior attack Kitty Cullen (Rockville,
Md.) bounced a shot into the goal 40 seconds later to give Florida the lead,
2-1.
Senior
defender Jamie Reeg (Atlantis, Fla.) caused a turnover and picked up a
ground ball, swinging the momentum in Florida’s way, helping set up sophomore
midfielder Nicole Graziano (Mendham, N.J.) and end the half with a 3-1
lead. Reeg and Gilroy each led the Orange and Blue with two caused turnovers.
Chesterman
and sophomore midfielder Nora Barry (Marcellus, N.Y.) each turned in a
team-high three ground balls in the win.
Coming
out of the locker room, Florida came out firing, scoring back-to-back goals
from Dashiell and Gilroy. Ohio State scored its second goal of the day with
28:19 to play as UF responded with three-straight goals, taking a 9-3 lead with
18:26 to play.
Ohio
State scored two consecutive goals, coming within four but wouldn’t get any
closer as Gilroy closed the game out with goals at the 4:16 and 31 second marks
to help Florida win by six. It marked the 12th game this season the Orange and Blue
have held an opponent to under double-digit goals.
