Three days between games is not a lot of time.
That is how long No. 8 Florida (0-1) has to correct the mistakes that led the team to a 20-8 loss at No. 1 North Carolina (1-0) on Saturday.
Three days for the team to reflect on each ground ball not won, each draw that UNC took possession of and a relaxed defense that allowed 20 points to slip past redshirt senior goalkeeper Cara Canington and sophomore goalkeeper Mary-Sean Wilcox.
“We need to speed up our offense; I think we were very deliberate, very methodical,” coach Amanda O’Leary said.
“We let their defense dictate what we did and didn’t do defensively.”
Tonight at 6:30, UF will host Jacksonville at Donald R. Dizney Stadium.
In 2013, Florida defeated Jacksonville University (0-1) 15-4. Juniors Shannon Gilroy and Nora Barry helped lead the team to its second consecutive win of 2013. Gilroy put two points on the board and had three draw controls, while Barry scored one point and also had three draw controls.
While the two juniors will be back on the field to help lead the team Wednesday, it does not mean the Gators do not have a lot to work on until then.
O’Leary said that losing 24-12 on ground balls was a sign of some of the issues that will have to be addressed throughout the season.
“It’s just one of those things that we have to get better at; we have to get better on the draw, we have to get better on the ground balls,” O’Leary said. “That was what I think was a little disheartening is the fact that, that was in our control.
“We could have picked up those ground balls. We could have gotten those balls because it’s a 50-50 draw.”
Now that the first game has been played, the team can begin to work out the kinks. However, O’Leary said while there were many problems that needed to be addressed, there were also many positive plays that were made.
“(We) saw a lot of promise out of our freshmen; we had four that started,” O’Leary said.
“We were so excited to see their play out there and their never-give-up attitude.”
Follow Eden Otero on Twitter @edenotero_l
Shannon Gilroy fights for possession against Penn State on May 19, 2012. Gilroy scored one goal in UF’s season-opening loss to UNC.
