Gators Lacrosse Chomps Kennesaw State, 22-7
No. 7 Florida lacrosse used a dominant first half to secure a 22-7 road win against Kennesaw State on Saturday.
The Gators (6-2) entered the matchup averaging 16.7 goals per game compared to Kennesaw State’s 9.1, and the offense wasted no time showing why. Florida controlled the draw circle throughout the afternoon, winning 21 of 31 draw controls.
Florida opened the scoring just 44 seconds into the game when Gabby Greene found the net. Minutes later, Clark Hamilton fired a shot on goal that was saved by Kennesaw’s goalkeeper Cybella Smith, but Caroline Hoskins intercepted the rebound and buried it to give Florida a 2-0 lead.
Kennesaw State (5-4) responded with a man-up goal from team-leading scorer Lexi Tinker after a green card on Florida’s Kaitlyn Davies.
The Gators quickly regained control when Hamilton converted a free-position opportunity with 11:11 left in the first quarter. Florida followed with seven unanswered goals to close the first period.
Ava Tighe and Frannie Hahn each added goals, while Greene scored her second of the day. Hamilton capped the quarter with another free-position goal in the final minute as Florida closed the opening frame with a 10-1 lead.
The momentum carried into the second quarter after Hamilton completed her hat trick, triggering a running clock as Florida continued its advantage. Tighe and Hahn continued to add to the scoring, while Kennedy Richardson capitalized on increased playing time. By halftime, Florida held a 17-2 advantage.
Hamilton finished the day with four goals and eight shots on net, all coming from the first half. The attacker, who attended Blessed Trinity Catholic High School about 30 minutes from Kennesaw State’s campus, entered the game fresh off becoming the 27th Gator in program history to reach 100 career points in Florida’s previous matchup against Penn.
Florida added third-quarter goals from Ryann Frechette and Molly Doran, but Kennesaw State found momentum late in the period. Tinker completed her hat trick as the Owls scored three unanswered goals while tightening defensively.
The stretch reflected an area coach Amanda O’Leary has emphasized this season.
“We have our highs and then we have our lows,” O’Leary said after Florida’s previous game against Penn. “I would just love to get some consistency.”
Frechette led the Gators late, recording a hat trick in the fourth quarter while Carly Wilson added her first goal of the season on a free-position attempt. Despite Kennesaw State’s late push, Florida’s explosive start carried the Gators.
Florida will continue its road play at No. 1 North Carolina on Tuesday in a tough top 10 matchup at noon (ACC Network Extra).
Category: Gator Sports, Gators Lacrosse, Lacrosse
