16th Ranked Gators Head to College Park to take on No. 5 Maryland
Florida’s third matchup against a top-10 team this season
via UF press release/website, by Corey Lichtman
COLLEGE PARK, Md. – The No. 16 ranked Florida lacrosse team travels to College Park this weekend to take on the fifth ranked Maryland Terrapins. The game is set for 11 a.m. on Big Ten Plus at Field Hockey and Women’s Lacrosse Complex.
The Gators are currently 0-2 coming off a road loss to North Carolina by a score of 19-10. The Terrapins are 3-0, coming off a home win against Drexel on Wednesday night.
UF has lost three straight matchups against Maryland and have a 1-8 record overall against the Terrapins. Last season’s matchup between the two teams was a thriller, ending in heartbreak fashion for Florida, losing 14-13. The Gators lone victory over Maryland came back in 2020, when they defeated the top ranked Terrapins by a score of 15-14 in College Park, snapping their 86-game home win streak. It was the Gators second win in program history over the No. 1 team in the nation and their last road win over a top-10 opponent.
In Florida’s last matchup, they were led by Emily Heller who recorded her 11th career hat-trick in the game. She is currently just six goals shy of the 100-goal mark for her career as she has five on the young season. Maggi Hall scored two goals, leading the team with seven for the season. Danielle Pavinelli was able to find the back of the net twice, scoring her first two goals of the season.
Maryland features four Tewaaraton Award nominees in Eloise Clevenger, Shay Ahearn, Meghan Ball and Emily Sterling. Clevenger currently leads the country in assists with 15. Hannah Luebecker leads the Terrapins in goals with seven.
Free for a Reason
Florida is first in the country in free shot percentage at .867 on 13/15. 13 of the Gators 20 goals this season have been from the eight-meter spot. Hall and Heller have four each, and transfer Sarah Falk has two. Maryland is ranked 117th in the country in this stat, with a percentage of .222, shooting just 2/9.
All I do is Win
These two programs have been known to win games, with head coaches who know how to do so. Since 2011, Florida and Maryland both rank in the top three in wins among all of Division l lacrosse. The Gators have a 210-51 record while the Terrapins have a 243-32 record.
Head Coach Amanda O’Leary ranks third among all active division l coaches in wins with 382, and Maryland’s head coach Cathy Reese ranks sixth out of all active coaches with 350 career wins.
Meeting up with Old Friends
Current Terrapins Assistant Coach and Director of Operations Nadine Hadnagy used to be an assistant coach with the Gators. Hadnagy was with Florida from 2017-2021 with the team having an overall record of 55-16.
Key Notes
- The Gators have a career 29-16 record against the Big Ten
- Florida has seven players on the team from the state of Maryland (Maggi Hall, Theresa Bragg, Ashley Dyer, Kelly Schluederberg, Elyse Finelle, Frannie Hahn and Josie Hahn)
- Emily Heller is just six goals shy of the 100 mark for her career
- Maggi Hall sits two points behind Emma LoPinto for 14th all-time in points
- Danielle Pavinelli sits just four points behind Brianna Harris for ninth all-time in points and one goal behind Grace Haus for ninth all-time in goals
- Emily Heller sits two groundballs behind Shannon Kavanagh for 10th all-time in groundballs
- Paisley Eagan sits one point behind Lauren Lea for 22nd all-time in points
Active Streaks
- Maggi Hall: points (21), goals (10)
- Sarah Falk: goals (17)
- Madison Waters: points (10)
- Emily Heller: points (9)
Watch No. 16 Florida take on No. 5 Maryland
Follow with live stats throughout the game
For more information on this matchup, click this link for game notes
