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History shows that when Florida coach Amanda O’Leary and Temple
lacrosse are put together in the same sentence, it usually means an
Owls win.
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But on Saturday at Dizney Stadium, O’Leary paced the sidelines
against her alma mater for the first time, coaching the No. 14
Gators to a 19-4 win over the Owls (1-4).
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a two-time All-American player in lacrosse and field hockey,
O’Leary previously led Temple to a 19-0 record and the 1988
national championship in her senior season.
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“For me, it was a long, long time ago and I have such fond memories
of Temple,” she said. “So it’s exciting to see your alma mater
playing.”
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Despite the familiarity and good rapport with the program, the
Gators (6-1) did not take Temple lightly. Sparked by three of
Caroline Chesterman’s four goals, Florida went on a 9-0 run
starting late in the first half and continuing after halftime. The
flurry of goals increased UF’s advantage to 14 with 14 minutes left
to play.
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“We knew we’d be able to exploit their defense because they
pressure really high,” Chesterman said. “And Kitty [Cullen], Janine
[Hillier] and Brittany [Dashiell] are really good at driving on
1-v-1’s, so we knew they’d be able to take them.”
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The Gators’ offense continued to be diverse, as at least seven
players scored a goal for the fourth consecutive game. Tewaaraton
Watch List honoree Kitty Cullen pocketed five goals and added an
assist off a free position shot to Hayley Katzenberger.
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Cullen could have tied her single-game record of six goals in one
game for a third time off the penalty shot, but instead chose to
pass to a wide-open Katzenberger.
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“There were numerous examples today where our players really looked
off shot to find a better option and the fact that Hayley was able
to catch that ball and finish was fantastic for her,” O’Leary
said.
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The redshirt-freshman scored the first two goals of her career in
the second half after sitting out last season due to an
injury.
