Gators Lacrosse Falls to Michigan in Season Opener

In front of a rowdy crowd from both sidelines, Florida dropped its season opener to Michigan, 12-10, in a game that was frustratingly just out of reach. 

The Gators struck first. Clark Hamilton buried a free-position goal three minutes in, and Frannie Hahn followed with an assist from Kaitlyn Davies to give Florida the early lead.

But Michigan flipped the script at the circle.

The Wolverines repeatedly came away with possession after the whistle, forcing Florida to chase the game. Those added opportunities quickly translated to scoreboard pressure.

“Every possession that they had is eight more possessions than we had,” Gators coach Amanda O’Leary said. “I think that puts you on your heels a little bit.”

Michigan turned those possessions into a 9-6 halftime lead, turning opportunities into goals.

Florida’s offense looked sharp early, capitalizing on its opportunities and moving the ball confidently. But the rhythm stalled just before halftime.

“I thought the second half, we faltered a bit,” O’Leary said. “I don’t think we were as crisp.”

Hamilton’s fourth-quarter rocket brought the Gators within striking distance, keeping Florida in the fight down the stretch. A late save came from Paige Crowther, giving Florida one more chance to close the gap. Still, Michigan answered late to keep a two-goal edge.

With five freshmen and four sophomores on the field, Florida leaned heavily on youth in its opener. The potential was evident. 

The sidelines were full of energy, and there were flashes of offensive chemistry. But so were the adjustments still needed, particularly on the defense and in-game adaptability.

“We need to kind of age here really quickly,” O’Leary said. “We need to go from being freshmen to seniors.”

The Gators now face a quick turnaround with a road test ahead on Tuesday against Loyola University.

Category: Gator Sports, Gators Lacrosse, Uncategorized