After two top-five teams went down Saturday, Maryland and Florida brought stability to the opening weekend of NCAA women’s lacrosse Sunday. They’ll play each other next Saturday.

Megan Whittle and Caroline Steele scored four goals apiece to lead the top-ranked Terps (1-0) to an easy 18-7 win over William and Mary (0-1) in both teams’ season opener in College Park, Md.

The sixth-ranked Gators (1-0), meanwhile, pulled away from No. 16 Colorado with a six-goal run midway through the second half in a 16-9 victory in Gainesville, Fla., where it was 82 degrees. Lindsey Ronbeck led the way with three goals and two assists. Madi Hall added a hat trick and Haley Hicklen, the reigning Big East Goalkeeper of the Year, finished with 14 saves.

The Buffaloes (1-1) pulled within one goal after Devon Bayer scored to make it 9-8 with 18:21 remaining. But Colorado faded down the stretch, allowing two goals each to Ronbeck, Hall and Caroline Benitez in the next 10 minutes.

Freshman Shannon Kavanagh had a strong debut for Florida, reeling in eight draw controls to go with a goal and an assist. Kavanagh took over as the primary draw specialist, as the Gators were without Brianna Harris (knee).

The teams played in remembrance of the late Julia Sarcona, a senior attacker for the Buffaloes who died in a car accident Jan. 13.

Maryland and Florida will meet in the first top-10 showdown of the young season Saturday at 12 p.m. ET in Gainesville. The game will be streamed live on YouTube.

Nike/US Lacrosse Top 20 Scoreboard

No. 1 Maryland 18, William and Mary 7
No. 6 Florida 16, No. 16 Colorado 9
No. 11 Northwestern vs. Detroit – 3 p.m. ET
No. 19 Duke 17, Elon 9

More Scores

Arizona State 15, Stetson 13
Binghamton 14, Fresno State 8
Jacksonville 14, Michigan 9
Longwood 13, Lafayette 12
Louisville 16, Marquette 8
Vanderbilt 18, Kennesaw State 14