Florida clinched the No. 1 seed for the upcoming American Athletic Conference Championship and at least a share of its 10th regular-season conference title as the Gators took a 22-9 win against Vanderbilt Sunday to complete a series sweep of the Commodores.
Temple and Vanderbilt will enter the final weekend of regular-season play tied for second in The American standings. The Owls and Commodores will be the No. 2 and No. 3 seeds in the conference tournament, though the exact seeds will be determined when they square off this weekend.
Cincinnati gained the inside track on the final spot in the conference tournament as the Bearcats completed a sweep of Old Dominion. The Bearcats would clinch an appearance in the tournament with one win in their final two regular-season games, though East Carolina could claim the final spot with a series sweep of the Bearcats.
NO. 10 FLORIDA 22, NO. 20 VANDERBILT 9
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The ninth-ranked Florida lacrosse team got to hoist the American Athletic Conference regular season trophy after clinching at least a share of the championship with its 22-9 defeat of Vanderbilt on a rainy Sunday afternoon at Donald R. Dizney Stadium.
With the victory, the Gators have now won the regular season conference championship both of their years in the AAC and have now won 10 regular season crowns across three conferences (ALC: 2011, ‘12, ‘13, ‘14; BIG EAST: 2015, ’16, ’17, ’18; AAC: 2019, ‘21).
“Just really excited to come out with a victory today," said Florida head coach Amanda O'Leary. "Vanderbilt is a great team and they came out and played hard from the jump. I am very honored to be able to coach this senior class. They have done such an amazing job here over the course of their careers and I could not be more thrilled for them.”
Florida has also now won 38-straight regular season conference games, dating back to the start of conference play in the 2016 season.
Due to weather in the area, the Gators honored their eight seniors and three student managers in Senior Day festivities after the victory. Eddy Shoop, Annie Wright, Kassidy Bresnahan, Grace Haus, Cara Trombetta, Shannon Kavanagh, Brianna Harris and Kaitlyn Dabkowski took part in the ceremony.
The Gators had eight different goal scorers on the afternoon, including a team-high seven from Kavanagh. With her first goal today, she tied the record for most consecutive games with a goal (40).
Haus, Bresnahan and Danielle Pavinelli each recorded a hat trick in the game, while Maggi Hall, Emily Heller and Harris each found the back of the cage twice. Paisley Eagan registered one goal of her own on the afternoon to round out Florida’s goal scorers.
Harris dished out a season-high four assists on the afternoon, while Bresnahan and Haus each posted two. Ashley Gonzalez, Hall and Kavanagh each recorded one helper in the game.
Florida once controlled the draw circle, coming up with 20-of-32 draw controls on the afternoon. Kavanagh posted a team-high 10, securing the program record for draw controls in a career as she passed Shannon Gilroy’s record of 303. Eagan and Harris each secured three draw controls, while Heller added two.
The defensive quartet of Trombetta, Dabkowski, Emma Wightman and Becky Browndorf held four of Vanderbilt’s top scorers to just 1-of-7 shooting and two assists in the game.
Dabkowski, Kavanagh and Trombetta led the way with two caused turnovers apiece, while Heller, Wightman and Kavanagh once again tallied a team-high three groundballs in the game.
Sarah Reznick saw all 60 minutes in the cage, coming up with nine saves for a .500 save percentage..
TEMPLE 11, EAST CAROLINA 6
PHILADELPHIA - The Temple lacrosse team defeated ECU 11-6 Sunday afternoon to close out its home slate. With the win, the Owls improve to 10-3 (6-2 AAC) while the Pirates fall to 3-11 (1-7 AAC). Temple's nine seniors were honored following the game as part of Senior Day activities.
"This was a big goal of ours to win both games with weekend," said Temple head coach Bonnie Rosen. "It keeps us moving forward in so many ways and it's certainly nice to win on Senior Day as well, but from a big picture standpoint it keeps us in the hunt and for potentially being considered for at large down the stretch in the NCAA tournament and that is really really important."
Bridget Whitaker and Belle Mastropietro each recorded a hat trick, while Abaigeal Ryan scored twice. Three other Owls found the back of the net.
Mastropietro played a complete game, firing six shots, causing three turnovers, and picking up two ground balls and six draw controls. Courtney Taylor also picked up a team-leading six draw controls.
Temple dominated the draw once again, recording 15 to ECU's five.
Mackenzie Roth dished a team-leading four assists. Meghan Hoffman remains in the hunt for the single-season assist record, needing two to break the record.
Shana Hecht made five saves and Olivia Martin made three.
CINCINNATI 17, OLD DOMINION 6
CINCINNATI – The University of Cincinnati lacrosse team beat Old Dominion 17-6 Sunday in Nippert Stadium to sweep the American Athletic Conference series between the two teams.
UC honored its fourth-year seniors prior to first draw, including Alyssa Adams, Kate Carney, Morgan Dukes, Jennie Finotti, Taylor Gysin and Ali Mazzola.
Cincinnati (6-8, 2-6 AAC) closed out the home portion of the schedule with a 5-4 record on the home turf with all four losses ending up as two-goal games. ODU fell to 3-12 and 1-7 in AAC play.
Sam Mlkvy led the way with a season-high four goals, Finotti had three, Monica Borzillo and Mazzola scored two apiece while Alyssa Adams, Morgan Bates, Alyssa Fizer, Gysin, Peyton Mottice and Gianna Napoletano each added single braces.
UC's attack was relentless and efficient, winning the shots tally by a 34-17 margin with 29 of the Bearcats attempts on goal. Mlkvy and Morgan Dukes both picked up five draw controls, helping Cincinnati to a 16-9 edge in the category.
The Bearcats caused 18 turnovers with Mottice's four and Adams' three leading the tallies. Alexandra Fess, Amanda Fess, and Napoletano forced two each.
Gianna Pope was tabbed for her first start of the season, played 54 minutes, made five saves and picked up the win.
Finotti's hat trick was the first of her career. Borzillo added two assists and Kate Carney, Alexandra Fess, Kenna Hancock and Anna Platou each had single helpers.
Dukes and Amanda Fess scooped five ground balls apiece while Adams, Dani Mlkvy and Mottice has three each.