COLLEGE PARK, Md. –Led by Brooke Griffin’s five goals and three assists, the No. 1 Maryland women’s lacrosse team (7-0) dropped No. 6 Florida (6-3), 16-6, Saturday afternoon.
“I’m super proud of the way my team played today,” said head coach Cathy Reese, who earned her 200th career win with Saturday’s victory. “We came out a little hesitant, and we weren’t doing the things we normally do. We kind of settled in, and we were really able to control what we wanted to. I was just super proud.”
Kelly McPartland and Megan Whittle each scored hat tricks, while McPartland added two assists. Zoe Stukenberg and Taylor Cummings each scored twice, and Erin Collins notched one goal.
The Gators were able to get on the board first, but Collins responded by taking a rebounded shot and finding the net at 27:09. With two defenders focused on Cummings, McPartland was able to cut to the goal and put Maryland up, 2-1, at 25:15.
Whittle and McPartland added free-position goals and Cummings was able to score off a sharp assist from Griffin, who was behind the cage. Florida’s Shannon Gilroy was able to tie the game at five at 12:37 as the teams close to each other.
The Terps gave themselves some breathing room as Maryland closed the half with four straight goals. Whittle and Cummings each scored goals assisted by Griffin, and Stukenberg added a man-up goal with just 35 seconds left. Whittle was able to take the ball off the final draw of the half and score at the 10 second mark as the Terrapins took a 9-5 lead into halftime.
McPartland and Griffin scored free-position goals within the first 10 minutes of the second half as Maryland increased its lead to 11-5. The Gators were able to add one goal, their last of the game at 18:03. Stukenberg scored after faking the goalie at 5:48, and Griffin sealed the 16-6 win with her fifth goal of the game at 3:42.
The Terrapins maintained possession for nearly all of the remaining time. Griffin scored the team’s next three goals as she used her speed to beat the Gator goalkeeper.
Maryland held a 15-9 advantage in draw controls, including a game-high six from Cummings. The Terrapins also held an advantage in ground balls, 12-8. The Terps had seven turnovers, compared to Florida’s eight, but all of Maryland’s came in the first half.f
Goalkeeper Alex Fitzpatrick made seven saves and picked up four ground balls in her seventh straight start.
The Terps take on No. 14 Penn on Wednesday, March 18, at 7 p.m. The game will be broadcast on the Big Ten Network – the first-ever lacrosse game on BTN.
-Maryland-
