Wednesday Wrap: Resume-Boosting Wins for Florida and James Madison

Resume-boosting — and for one team, season-saving — wins were the theme Wednesday night, with 15 Division I women’s lacrosse games providing two upsets.

There was even a massive upset in Division II, with No. 13 Adelphi taking down No. 1 UIndy. We break it all down here.

FLORIDA STUNS SYRACUSE

At 2-4 with each loss coming against a team in the top 10 of the Nike/USA Lacrosse Division I Women’s Top 20, Florida was in a bit of a funk. Wednesday might have been the sign of a breakout.

The Gators, who fell to No. 16 in Monday’s Top 20 update, scored the first six goals and put No. 5 Syracuse in a hole that proved insurmountable. Florida led wire-to-wire in a 14-10 win in Gainesville.

Danielle Pavinelli had four goals and two assists, Emma LoPinto had two goals and four assists and both Maggie Hall and Ashley Gonzalez had hat tricks. Sarah Reznick anchored the defense with 11 saves, and both Emma Wightman (three caused turnovers) and Maeson Tydings (four ground balls) starred in front of her.

Florida (3-4) was remarkably efficient, scoring on 14 of its 18 shots on goal. Both Kimber Hower and Delaney Sweitzer struggled in the cage for Syracuse (6-2), which made things interesting late by scoring four of the game’s final five goals.

Ultimately, it was Florida’s 6-0 burst to start the game that was the difference.

JMU GETS MASSIVE WIN

With tough losses to Virginia Tech and Penn State, James Madison was in desperate need of a ranked win. Unable to earn an automatic qualifier into the NCAA tournament this season, the Dukes need to have a resume worthy of an at-large bid.

Up to this point, that possibility appeared murky. But Wednesday’s 13-10 win over No. 15 Richmond provides a massive boost. With their next two games against No. 14 Virginia and No. 3 Maryland, the Dukes’ resume can continue to improve.

Richmond (5-2) got the game’s first goal from Arden Tierney before James Madison (4-4) scored the next eight tallies. Isabella Peterson was the only player to score twice during that stretch, which spanned the entirety of the first half after Tierney’s goal.

Peterson and Ava Frantz each scored three times for the Dukes, who were anchored by Molly Dougherty’s nine saves.

ADELPHI UPENDS UINDY

Perhaps no team earned a larger win Wednesday than No. 13 Adelphi.

In Division II action, the host Panthers took down previously undefeated UIndy — the No. 1 team in the Nike/USA Lacrosse Magazine Division II Women’s Top 20 — 7-5. Adelphi (3-0) got three goals from Kristina Schweitzer and two goals from Kerrin Heuser. Emma Lemanski made six saves.

UIndy (5-1) held a 12-4 advantage on draws, but Adelphi played smothering defense to force the Greyhounds into 23 turnovers. Kristina Kallansrude caused five of them, and she added three ground balls.

HOW THE NIKE/USAL TOP 20 FARED

James Madison defeated No. 15 Richmond 13-10
No. 16 Florida defeated No. 5 Syracuse 14-10

FULL SCOREBOARD