There’s one word we can use to describe the beginning of the 2020 women’s lacrosse season.
Parity.
For the fourth time in the season’s opening week, a top-five team from the Nike/US Lacrosse Top 20 has fallen. No. 16 Florida traveled to College Park to defeat No. 3 Maryland 15-14 on Saturday afternoon. It ended an 86-game home winning streak for the Terps.
“It’s a momentum builder,” Gators coach Amanda O’Leary told US Lacrosse Magazine contributor Justin Fitzgerald after the game. “It’s an affirmation of all that hard work you put in has paid off. You enjoy it until Monday to get back to practice when we need to move on.”
Hannah Warther scored twice for Maryland to tie the score at 14, but Shannon Kavanagh scored the game-winner with 49 seconds remaining for Florida (2-0).
“She had herself a day,” O’Leary said of Kavanagh, who scored eight goals on 13 shots. “Eight goals against Maryland — there haven’t been to many people who have accomplished that.”
Redshirt-freshman goalie Sarah Reznick made 14 saves for the Gators.
“She had an All-American kind of day,” O’Leary said. “She shut down angles, made saves and was spot-on on her clears. She was very composed and didn’t get rattled. For a freshman in her second start, there was a lot of positive things in her game.”
During a second half that was about as back-and-forth as it could be, Maryland struck first when Brindi Griffin assisted Shaylan Ahearn for a 9-8 lead. Kavanagh scored the next two goals for Florida, then Ahearn scored again, tying the score at 10.
Brianna Harris put the Gators ahead 12-10 and 13-11, then Kavanagh put them ahead 14-12. Warther, who had four goals and two assists, then tied it at 14.
The win for Florida continues what’s been a successful start against ranked opponents. The Gators took down Colorado last weekend 11-10. They don’t get much of a reprieve moving forward. Two of their next three opponents are ranked (Loyola and Stony Brook).
Maryland’s last home loss prior to Saturday was March 10, 2012, against Syracuse.
— Justin Fitzgerald contributed to this report.
USC Rallies to Beat Michigan
No. 10 USC scored five goals in the final 15 minutes, rallying from a 7-5 deficit to defeat No. 7 Michigan 10-8 at McAlister Field in Los Angeles.
The Trojans held the Wolverines scoreless for nearly 18 minutes in the second half, taking their first lead on Erin Bakes' outside blast that made it 8-7 with 6:09 remaining.
Michigan tied it at 8 when Maggie Kane converted a Caitlin Muir feed at the 3:30 mark.
Izzy McMahon put USC ahead for good 50 seconds later, dodging to her left off a screen and sending a lefty shot on the run past Wolverines goalie Arielle Weissman.
Emily Concialdi iced the win with 26 seconds left.
— Matt DaSilva
Loyola Wins Battle of Charles Street
Johns Hopkins had won the last three meetings between these teams, but No. 15 Loyola opened its season with a 16-7 win. Livy Rosenzweig had two goals and four assists, and Emily Wills had three goals and two assists. Jillian Wilson led all scorers with four goals.
Hopkins (1-1) jumped out to a 4-1 lead on Mackenzie Heldberg’s tally, but Loyola climbed back and led 7-5 at halftime. After Aurora Cordingley made the score 7-6 less than five minutes into the second half, the Greyhounds ripped off nine of the game's last 10 goals.
The Hounds dominated on the draw, winning 18 of 25. Rosenzweig led with eight draw controls, and Wilson chipped in six.