The sixth seed Florida Gators lacrosse team (16-2) takes on the Mercer Bears (7-7) in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Florida will host the Bears from Donald R. Dizney Stadium first draw starts at 4 p.m. on Friday. This will be the first time both teams meet in team history.
Florida Gators
Florida is coming off their seventh straight tournament championship and their eighth overall in Gators lacrosse history. The Gators are 8-9 in the NCAA tournament.
Senior midfielder Shannon Kavanagh leads the team in points (84) and goals (68). She should be the leading charge in developing the offense for the Gators, alongside senior attacker Brianna Harris who leads the team in assists (37). Kavanagh also leads the team in draw controls with 89.
Special report on the Florida Gators lacrosse team:
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The NCAA Tournament returns to Gainesville as the sixth-seeded Florida lacrosse team welcomes Mercer, Jacksonville and Vanderbilt to Donald R. Dizney Stadium.
Florida will be back in the friendly confines of The Diz on Friday, taking on the Mercer Bears at 4 p.m. That game will be streamed on ESPN3 and can be heard on FloridaGators.com/watch.
Approximately 45 minutes after the matchup between the Gators and the Bears, Jacksonville will take on Vanderbilt under the lights.
The winner of each of the first round matchups will face off on Sunday at 12 p.m. for a chance to make the NCAA Quarterfinals.
Special report on the Florida Gators lacrosse team:
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The eighth-ranked Florida lacrosse team dominated the Temple Owls 19-4 on Saturday afternoon at Donald R. Dizney Stadium to secure the 2021 AAC Tournament Championship.
The Gators improve to 16-2 on the year and have won 13-straight games, while Temple falls to 12-5 on the year.
Florida secured its seventh-consecutive tournament championship and eighth overall. The Gators were able to hoist both the regular season championship trophy and tournament championship trophy for the eighth time in program history.
Brianna Harris and Shannon Kavanagh each posted six goals on the afternoon to lead the way offensively for the Gators. That mark was a career-best for Harris, surpassing her previous high of five (twice).
Gators lacrosse advances to AAC Championship
Florida crushed Cincinnati in a 19-6 thriller to reach championship match May 6, 2021 | 8:48pm EDT 2021 AAC Midfielder of the Year Shannon Kavanagh, pictured in grey, passes down the field against Cincinnati in the conference semifinal on May 6. Kavanagh scored her 200th goal during the game. Photo by Karina Wilson | The Independent Florida Alligator
The chants echoed throughout Donald R. Dizney Stadium.
“Let’s go Gators.”
Shannon Kavanagh, the AAC Midfielder of the Year, darted from her self-proclaimed position in the draw circle into the eight meter arc. The senior wound back her stick and launched the yellow ball into Cincinnati s cage.