No. 8 Florida Ready for Test at No. 2 UNC
Sydney DuPre and the Gators take on the No. 2 Tar Heels at 11 a.m. Saturday in Chapel Hill
Photo By: Jim Burgess
Friday, February 19, 2016

No. 8 Florida Ready for Test at No. 2 UNC

Kelly Reynolds
A top-10 lacrosse showdown in Chapel Hill Saturday features the No. 2 Tar Heels and No. 8 Gators. Carolina marks UF's second ranked opponent in a span of three games.
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- After a 2-0 start at home, the No. 8 Gators face their first road test of the campaign at No. 2 UNC Saturday at Fetzer Field in Chapel Hill. The clash with the Tar Heels is one of six ranked match-ups for the Orange and Blue in the non-conference schedule, as UF opened with a 15-6 win over then No. 13 Loyola, and followed with a 12-11 thriller against Michigan last weekend.
 
The Gators and Tar Heels are no strangers with a six-year history since the inception of Florida lacrosse in 2010. The two squads last met in the NCAA Tournament last season in Chapel Hill, and Florida has opened five of its seven seasons with a tilt against North Carolina. While Carolina holds a 6-1 edge in the series, the Gators won in a low-scoring 5-3 affair Feb. 9, 2013 in Tar Heel territory.
 
Opening draw between UF and UNC is slated for 11 a.m. at Fetzer, and will serve as the first game of a doubleheader with the Carolina men's lacrosse team, which faces Hofstra at 2 p.m.
 
Last time out, Florida had a thrilling come-back 12-11 win against Michigan, which resulted in three BIG EAST weekly honors for Taylor Bresnahan (Defender of the Week), Shayna Pirreca (Attacker of the Week) and Mollie Stevens (Midfielder of the Week) after a 2-0 start for the Gators.
 
Of note, Florida hosted the Wales National Team Thursday evening at The Diz for a friendly, which gave the Gators a chance to get some extra game practice and allow a number of players to get in on the action. UF came out on top, 16-5, but camaraderie and good competition were the first priorities.
 
WATCH: Amanda O'Leary Weekly Press Conference
 
NO. 8 FLORIDA AT NO. 2 NORTH CAROLINA BROADCAST INFORMATION
UNC Tar Heels (Feb. 20)
Time: 11 am (ET)
Live Stats: UNC Live Stats
 
NOTABLES
  • Gator head coach Amanda O'Leary entered the 2016 season as the fifth winningest active Division I coach with her .737 winning percentage in 20 years as a head coach. O'Leary is now (260-92, .739) overall and is the 17th winningest coach all-time in the history of NCAA women's lacrosse. O'Leary is 98-27 (.784) all-time at the University of Florida, just two wins shy of her 100th coaching victory at the helm of the program
  • Of note, Florida junior Mollie Stevens will look to extend a school-record 27-game streak with a goal
  • Although a fresh new season, the Gators already rank first in the BIG EAST in caused turnovers (24) and offensively ranks second in assists (15) through its first two games
  • Florida will be looking to start the season 3-0 Saturday in Chapel Hill, which would mark the program's second 3-0 start in its young history. Florida went 13-0 to start the 2013 season before its first loss
  • A new season brings two new faces on the Florida coaching staff in Crysti Foote and Becca Block -- both elite college players, national team members and renowned coaches heading into their first seasons in Gainesville
  • Florida ranks No. 8 in the February 15 IWLCA Top 20 Coaches' Poll and No. 10 in the Inside Lacrosse Feb. 15 Media Poll
  • The Gators boast a senior class of 10 athletes, led by captains Sydney DuPre, Nicole Graziano, Lauren Lea & Devon Schneider
  • UF also boasts the No. 1 and No. 2 recruits in the 2016 freshman class in Sydney Pirreca and Lindsey Ronbeck
  • UF has won five conference titles in the program's six seasons: 2011, 2012, 2013 & 2014 American Lacrosse Conference Champions and 2015 BIG EAST Champions
  • The Gators played in the 2012 Final Four and have advanced to the NCAA Tournament every year since 2011
UF | UNC SERIES HISTORY
  • 2016 Record: 3-0
  • Series Record: North Carolina leads, 6-1
  • Home: 0-1 | Away: 1-5 | Neutral: 0-0
  • Last Time Out: May 10, 2015 at Chapel Hill | L, 11-6

BIG EAST WEEKLY SCHEDULE & RESULTS
Wednesday
  • -/RV Connecticut 21, Quinnipiac 0
  • Temple 13, La Salle 2  
Friday
  • Cincinnati at Stetson, 6 p.m.
Saturday
  • #8/10 Florida at #2/2 North Carolina, 11 a.m.
  • Georgetown at #1/1 Maryland, Noon
  • Villanova at RV/- Cornell, Noon
Sunday
  • Cincinnati at Presbyterian, Noon
  • Temple vs. UC Davis, 1 p.m.
  • -/RV Connecticut vs. #20/RV James Madison, 1 p.m.
  • Marquette at Michigan, 1 p.m.
UP NEXT
Florida returns home to the friendly confines of Donald R. Dizney Stadium for a match-up with Dartmouth Feb. 27 at noon before heading to Syracuse for a Tuesday mid-week game.
 
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