Saturday morning marked Florida lacrosse’s fourth ranked matchup of the season as it faced Loyola (Maryland) on a rainy day at Donald R. Dizney Stadium. However, one major difference stood out for the Gators: a change in goal.
Redshirt junior goalkeeper Elyse Finnelle made her first start of the season and delivered a strong performance, recording nine saves while allowing just nine goals.
“She [Elyse] showed up big today, and that’s a testament to the preparation she put in this week,” Florida head coach Amanda O’Leary said post-match.
Finnelle’s effort, powered the No. 9 Gators (4-2) to a 15-9 victory over No. 15 Loyola (Maryland) Greyhounds (4-3).
Four UF players scored hat tricks for the second time this season, with the first coming in Florida’s 18-11 win over USF on Feb. 18. The Gators outshot the Greyhounds 34-23, putting 27 attempts on net.
Freshman attacker Clarke Hamilton led the charge with four goals, notching her fourth hat trick in six games. She also added two assists for a team-best six points.
“She [Clarke] is super special,” O’Leary said. “She has an enormous amount of athletic talent. Combined with her lacrosse skills, she’s a true double-threat.”
Junior attacker Gianna Monaco scored three goals for her fourth hat trick. Junior midfielder Kaitlyn Davies followed with her first hat trick since UF’s 12-11 season-opening win against Johns Hopkins on Feb. 7.
Redshirt freshman attacker Frannie Hahn was the fourth Gator to notch a hat trick, finishing with three goals and an assist. She remains UF’s point leader this season with 26.
Defensively, the Gators controlled the matchup. They forced eight turnovers while capitalizing on eight additional unforced errors. UF also completed 15 of its 17 clearing attempts.
“The whole defensive unit played really well,” O’Leary said. “I thought it was the best they’ve played all season.”
Loyola senior midfielder Chase Boyle led the Greyhounds with six goals and an assist, recording a match-high seven points. The Greyhounds also dominated the draw circle, winning 20 controls to UF’s eight.
Senior goalkeeper Lauren Spence kept Loyola competitive, making 12 saves on 27 shots. However, her efforts could not counteract the Gators’ electric offense that outshot the Greyhounds in all four quarters.
The first quarter was a low-scoring battle as both goalkeepers made key saves. UF forced five Loyola turnovers, leading to a scoring surge in which five different Gators found the back of the net.
Hamilton left her mark on the opening quarter, recovering a crucial ground ball after a midfield battle and delivering a deep assist to Hahn. The freshman attacker then scored the final goal of the quarter with just over 30 seconds remaining.
Strong defensive play defined the rest of the first half. Both goalkeepers saved nearly half of the shots they faced. While Boyle completed her hat trick, the Gators responded with three goals to take an 8-4 halftime lead.
Loyola came out aggressively to start the second half, scoring two quick goals. However, a free-position score by graduate student midfielder Jenny Markey helped Florida regain control. Hamilton and Monaco then finished their hat tricks, extending UF’s lead to five entering the fourth quarter.
The Gators continued their strong play in the final quarter, outscoring Loyola 4-3 to secure the six-goal victory. They also improved in the draw circle, winning four of eight total controls. The performance was encouraging, as the Gators responded well following a 17-16 loss to No. 18 James Madison on Mar. 1.
“After a loss, it's always about your next steps,” O’Leary said. “This team just digs their heels in and wants to get better, and I can’t say enough about what they did in practice this week.”
Florida will next face Navy Academy at Donald R. Dizney Stadium on Mar. 15 at 1 p.m.
Contact Max Bernstein at mbernstein@alligator.org. Follow him on X @maxbernstein23.
Max is in his fourth semester at The Alligator, and he is the Spring 2025 lacrosse reporter and a second-year journalism sports & media major. He is a big South Florida sports fan, and likes to go to concerts with his friends and family.
