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Friday, March 29, 2024
NEWS  |  CAMPUS

Florida clinches ALC title outright with victory at Northwestern

<p>Junior midfielder Shannon Gilroy drives toward the goal during Florida’s 21-5 win against Jacksonville on Feb. 12 at Donald R. Dizney Stadium.</p>

Junior midfielder Shannon Gilroy drives toward the goal during Florida’s 21-5 win against Jacksonville on Feb. 12 at Donald R. Dizney Stadium.

Entering the season with only two seniors left and 11 freshmen dominating the roster, UF had something to prove.

And after a 15-2 season and a 6-0 record in the American Lacrosse Conference, No. 4 Florida did just that.

With a 13-12 win at No. 5 Northwestern (9-5, 3-3 ALC) on Saturday, Florida sealed the ALC title outright for the first time since 2012.

The Gators proved that being a young team does not mean anything as long as there is talent and chemistry.

Before UF’s season-opener at UNC, freshman Sammi Burgess said the goal was to show people what the newest class of freshmen could do on the field.

Her praise for freshmen like Taylor Bresnahan, Caroline Fitzgerald and Mollie Stevens shows what a team full of athletic players — rookies and seniors — can do if they work hard and focus.

“It’s a combination of everyone,” coach Amanda O’Leary said. “This team has worked really, really hard to achieve the success it’s had. And it doesn’t come easily.

“They do it for each other. I think that’s a huge piece to the puzzle because they enjoy being around each other. If you asked them, this would be what they’ve worked so hard for.”

In Florida’s win over Northwestern, it became a test of the team’s ability to adapt and react.

While the Gators held the lead for the entire game, the Wildcats continued to make up four- and five-point deficits when they were needed most.

The final play of the game was one that had both Florida and Northwestern fans on their feet.

With 14 seconds to play, Florida sophomore defender Sidney DuPre was forced out of bounds and handed the ball over to Northwestern’s Kara Mupo, who then drove up an open lane to Florida’s sophomore keeper Mary-Sean Wilcox and sunk the ball into the back of the net.

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In the few seconds after the tying goal, Florida’s bench was silent.

It was in the moments of shock that the other shoe dropped and Florida dodged the biggest bullet of the game: Mupo had crossed into the crease and Northwestern’s goal would not be allowed.

“I thought that we did the best we could with the options we had,” O’Leary said. “Thank goodness she (Mupo) stepped into the crease and we got the ball back.”

Mupo’s error allowed Florida to get the ball back and hold on for the last 10 seconds. Burgess then pedaled momentum into the sputtering offense.

Burgess, who put four goals on the board for Florida against Vanderbilt on April 13, came out and put another four goals in the back of Northwestern’s net and recorded an assist to close the day with five points.

“She scored the goals when we needed them most,” O’Leary said. “When it started to get close, she went out there and scored those big goals and, you know, that’s a big burden for a freshman. She certainly hasn’t played like a freshman.”

Junior Shannon Gilroy added two goals on eight shots and an assist for the Gators, while sophomore Devon Schneider scored three goals.

Follow Eden Otero on Twitter @edenotero_l

Junior midfielder Shannon Gilroy drives toward the goal during Florida’s 21-5 win against Jacksonville on Feb. 12 at Donald R. Dizney Stadium.

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