Florida Welcomes Jacksonville for 2024 Regular Season Home Opener
UF press release/website, by Corey Lichtman
Gators have won four straight regular season home openers
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The Florida lacrosse team sets up for their 2024 regular season home opener against the Jacksonville Dolphins on Wednesday at 4 p.m. The game will be streamed on ESPN+ with Sean Salisbury and John Christovich on the call.
Tomorrow’s theme at the game will be Morgan’s Message. Morgan’s Message strives to eliminate the stigma surrounding mental health within the student athlete community and equalize the treatment of physical and mental health in athletics. Players will wear blue ribbons to support the cause.
The Gators currently sit at 1-2, coming off a huge overtime victory at No. 5 Maryland by a score of 13-12. Jacksonville sits at 1-3, defeating Marquette 18-14 in their last game on Saturday. Florida has won 14 of 15 career matchups against the Dolphins, while being victorious in their last five meetings outscoring Jacksonville 73-37 in that span. UF has an 8-0 record at home against Jacksonville, including defeating them in the first round of the 2023 NCAA Tournament by a score of 13-7. Danielle Pavinelli led the way in that one with five goals and an assist.
Jacksonville, who was picked to win the Atlantic Sun Conference is led by second year head coach Tara Singleton. They had 11 different players record at least a point last game, led by Mackenzie Boyle who leads the team with seven points on the season. Lauren Ellis and Brigid Manning have each pitched in four goals on the season. The Dolphins have won the ASUN six consecutive seasons.
Paisley Eagan and Georgia Hoey were the first two Gators to earn player of the week honors for their play on the young season. Eagan scored four goals against Maryland, and Hoey had seven saves while coming into the game in the second quarter. Along with Eagan’s five goals on the season, Florida is led by Maggi Hall who leads the team with nine points (eight goals, one assist), and Emily Heller who has six points (six goals). Heller scored the game winner in overtime on Saturday, the ninth game winning goal of her career. She sits just five goals shy of the 100-goal mark for her career.
Florida has won eight straight regular season home games, including 13 of their last 14. They own a 14-3 record all-time in their regular season home openers.
Key Notes
- Florida holds a career 23-1 record against the Atlantic Sun Conference
- The Gators have a career 126-23 (.846) record at Donald R. Dizney Stadium
- Liz Harrison currently ranks 17th in the country in draw control per game (7.33)
- Florida defender Maria Pansini will face off against her sister Natalie Pansini
- Florida and Jacksonville are two of only three division l women’s lacrosse programs in the country (Stetson)
- Danielle Pavinelli tied Grace Haus last game for ninth all-time in goals, and now sits just two goals shy of passing Sydney and Shayna Pirreca for seventh all-time
- Hall sits five points behind Emma LoPinto for 14th all-time in points
- Heller sits two groundballs behind Shannon Kavanagh for 10th all-time in groundballs
- Eagan sits one point behind Lauren Lea for 20th all-time in points
Active Streaks
- Maggi Hall: points (22), goals (11)
- Sarah Falk: points (18)
- Madison Waters: points (11)
- Emily Heller: points (10)
Watch No. 11 take on Jacksonville at 4 p.m.
Follow along during the game with live stats
For more information, click this link for game notes
