The No. 2 Florida Lacrosse team went on an offensive frenzy Saturday to open up Big East conference play.
A season-high 37 shots and season-high 29 shots on goal gave the Gators (10-1, 1-0 Big East) more than enough opportunities to put away Vanderbilt (4-6, 0-1 Big East) at Donald R. Dizney Stadium, 16-2.
UF coach Amanda O’Leary said that the shot volume Saturday was consistent to the work her team put in during the week, in response to last weekend’s 14-4 loss to top-ranked Maryland. In that game, the Gators were only able to put up 16 shots, including just five in the second half.
“I think that Crysti (Foote, Florida’s offensive assistant coach) helps us out a lot on offense,” redshirt senior Nicole Graziano said. “... She just puts in a good game plan for us, giving us a lot of looks — 37 shots is a lot, and that’s amazing.”
Graziano led the scoring effort for UF, tacking on five goals to extend her season total to a team-high 24 goals.
“As a fifth-year senior, shes been through conference play quite a few times, understands the significance of it,” O’Leary said. “She definitely stepped up to the plate today and delivered.”
Sophomore midfielder Allie Pavinelli scored her first career hat trick in the win, while midfielders Shayna Pirreca and Sydney Pirreca added two goals each.
Of the 16 goals by the Gators, five came off of the 10 free position attempts. However, the efficiency wasn’t to O’Leary’s liking.
“We have to get better (at free position attempts),” O’Leary said. “... As it says, its a free position — you have a free way to goal — so I think that’s something we need to work on.”
Defensively, the Gators allowed just one goal in each half and were able to hold Vanderbilt, which had scored double-digit goals in all but one game this year before Saturday, to its lowest scoring turnout of the season.
“This week, we really worked on trying to be there for each other and playing together, and, today, we were able to send the slides early and be there for each other,” defender Taylor Bresnahan said.
The Gators will continue Big East play against the Temple Owls next Saturday at noon, the last game on Florida’s five-game homestand.
Contact Kyle Brutman kbrutman@alligator.org and follow him on Twitter @KBrut13.
UF's Nicole Graziano (right) makes a play on the ball during Florida's 16-6 win over Dartmouth on Feb. 27, 2016.
