Good morning. Here’s the latest from around the lacrosse world:
1. No. 5 Florida overcame an eight-goal deficit to top No. 10 Navy 19-16. The eight-goal differential was the largest in program history from which the Gators have recovered.
“This team could have quit or put their head down, but they gutted it out,” said Florida coach Amanda O’Leary. “I’m pleased with the way we changed our mentality in the second half and put it all together, offensively and defensively, to close the game.”
The Midshipmen got out to a fast start, leading 5-0 seven minutes in, before the Gators got their first score from senior midfielder Allie Pavinelli. Navy responded with three more goals, followed by one more Florida tally.
Navy saw its biggest lead at the 11:01 mark thanks to a goal from Meg O’Donnell to go up 10-2. But that was the last of its firepower.
Pavinelli sparked Florida’s comeback with a goal at the 7:38 mark – the first of five straight to bring the score within three.
Both teams exchanged one more goal apiece before halftime, during which Navy still held an 11-8 advantage.
The Midshipmen opened the second half with a 2-1 run before Florida responded with a 4-1 of its own, including three goals from the Pirreca sisters, one from Shayna and two from Sydney.
Four minutes later, Gators junior midfielder Caroline Benitez scored the game-tying goal to knot it at 15.
Natalie Irwin then recorded Navy’s final goal to go up one last time before Florida finished with four straight tallies in the final 10 minutes – all from freshman midfielder Shannon Kavanagh, who had a team-high four goals and five draw controls.
Shayna and Sydney Pirreca both led the Gators with five points apiece, while Pavinelli added a hat trick.
Navy got a team-high five points from Jenna Collins. Julia Collins, Kayla Harris and Meg O’Donnell each had four points.
Largest comeback in #FLax history
— Gators Lacrosse (@GatorsLAX) March 13, 2018
Highlights from today's #GatorsWin over No. 10 Navy! pic.twitter.com/bMXCE0zB0S
Tuesday Game Notes
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No. 1 Stony Brook remains undefeated with a 20-8 rout of Delaware thanks to a 10-point effort from Kylie Ohlmiller (six goals, four assists) and seven points from Courtney Murphy (five goals, two assists).
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In No. 6 North Carolina’s 12-1 win over Elon, Ela Hazar had a career-high eight points on three goals and five assists, the latter which moved her into second place in program history.
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No. 12 Johns Hopkins men’s lacrosse dominated UMBC 13-6 with seven points from Shack Stanwick (three goals, four assists).
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No. 16 Hofstra’s match against Monmouth men was postponed to Wednesday at 3 p.m.
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Four upsets in Division II and III happened Tuesday night. In Division II, unranked Rollins men topped No. 4 Colorado Mesa 12-9 and No. 12 LIU Post women defeated No. 6 New Haven 16-15. In Division III, No. 15 Franklin & Marshall men downed No. 7 Cortland 10-9 and No. 16 Geneseo women upset No. 13 Hamilton 15-11.
PHOTO BY KEVIN P. TUCKER
More Tuesday Scores of Note
No. 5 Florida Tech 19, McKendree 7 (DII Women)
No. 9 Ithaca 15, No. 16 Coast Guard 5 (DIII Men)
No. 19 Connecticut College 20, Transylvania 5 (DIII Men)
No. 4 Trinity 13, No. 8 Ithaca 9 (DIII Women)
No. 9 Amherst 16, FDU-Florham 5 (DIII Women)
2. Penn women’s lacrosse is back in a familiar position after starting the season at 6-0 for the first time since 2015 – under the radar.
“We’re kind of used to it,” coach Karin Corbett said. “We’ve played some strong teams and done well, but we haven’t played teams in that top level. That’s what people concentrate on.”
The Quakers are one of just four Division I women’s teams that are still undefeated and will face their toughest tests in their next two games against Duke and Maryland.
“Although we’re 6-0, there’s a lot more to improve upon,” Corbett said. “We have a tough schedule. Playing well for 60 minutes is what’s important.”
3. From the innovation edition, wearable technology, including PLAYERTEK by Catapult Sports, is pushing the sport forward.
Marquette men’s lacrosse coaches discovered players were running up to eight miles on game day due to extra warm-up time outside of organized team activities.
“I can’t say any of the extra work was a negative,” Golden Eagles coach Joe Amplo said. “But on game day, when you added up all of his movements, it’s a heck of a lot more. … You don’t realize it.”
Now, coaches and trainers can track players' movements to better train and prepare for games without getting fatigued too early. Twelve Division I men’s and women’s programs, one professional team, the NLL’s Rochester Knighthawks, and one high school, St. Xavier (Ohio), are using PLAYERTEK.
"There’s a science behind it," said Louisville women’s lacrosse coach Scott Teeter. "It’s not just the eye test that the girls are tired. We actually have data to prove it.”
4. Did you know that there were lacrosse-specific apps? Check out 15 that you will want to download to your mobile device today.
5. Editor in Chief Matt DaSilva discovered a numerical quirk as he reflected on the 40th anniversary of US Lacrosse’s flagship magazine. Something big seems to happen on the eights, starting with 1908, the last time lacrosse was an official sport in the Olympics.
“Wrote then-Lacrosse Foundation president Ben Goertemiller: ‘This first issue of Lacrosse Magazine is a tribute to the past and a sign of the future,” writes DaSilva. “Forty years later, we’re still looking to the future. … The March 2018 edition certainly has a futuristic feel.”
6. Trilogy Lacrosse’s Amanda Trendell shares her personal story of an ACL recovery and how alternative movement from lifestyle sports like hula-hooping helped her.
“Riding my skateboard to work, looking forward to evening hoop sessions, tackling a 13,000-foot mountain — I’ve used these activities to shape a unique lifestyle that provides me with confidence to take on every day,” writes Trendell. “It’s my goal to inspire athletes to know that they too are limitless on and off the field.”
7. The high school players of the week are Christian Tomei (South Boys), Anna Winkeler (South Girls), Cole French (West Boys) and Caitlin Jones (West Girls).