PHILADELPHIA, Pa. -- Sophomore
Shayna Pirreca put up a team high five points, including a career high three assists, as the No. 2 Gators defeated the Villanova Wildcats 14-4 Saturday at Villanova Stadium to clinch one of four spots in the 2016 BIG EAST Tournament hosted by Georgetown May 5-7.
Nine different Gators scored Saturday and the Orange and Blue (14-1, 5-0 BIG EAST) took a season high 42 shots en route to victory over Nova (3-12, 1-4 BIG EAST). Both Florida and UConn remain undefeated at 5-0 at the top of the league standings and have solidified spots in the conference tournament. The two squads will play April 24 in Gainesville on Senior Day.
Florida had five goals and five different goal scorers in the first half for a 5-2 lead heading into the locker room at the break.
Sammi Burgess,
Caroline Fitzgerald,
Carli Marsh,
Sydney Pirreca and
Lindsey Ronbeck all found the back of the net in the first period. Villanova scored first and then took a 2-1 lead before UF knotted the contest and pulled ahead for good with Marsh's success.
For the second straight game Ronbeck led UF in goals with a hat trick Saturday to total eight goals on the week, while Fitzgerald made it eight games with a Gator defender scoring a goal when she bounced one in with 1:30 on the clock in the first.
After half, the oldest Pirreca made it back-to-back Gator goals to stretch the lead, 7-2, as UF opened the final period on a 5-0 run before the Wildcats countered on a free-position goal with 16:54 on the clock to make it 10-3. Junior
Alex Puller scored her third goal of the season, while sophomore
Morgan Bracken netted her first of the season and third of her career at the buzzer.
Florida caused eight of Villanova's 14 turnovers and won the draw, 11-8.
THE RECORDSNo. 2 Florida: 14-1, 5-0 BIG EAST
Villanova: 3-12, 1-4 BIG EAST
NUMBERS OF NOTEO'LEARY ANALYSIS"Villanova had a great game plan, they came out in the first half and really slowed us down. I credit our team with continuing to work hard, making some adjustments and getting the necessary goals to win. We're hitting the final stretch before the postseason and we need to continue to improve each and every day. The focus should be on Florida and improving everything the Gators are doing on our side of the field."
UP NEXTThe Gators have just two more games remaining on the regular-season slate with a final road game at Cincinnati April 20, before returning home for Senior Day against UConn April 24. The 2016 BIG EAST Tournament will be held May 5-7 in Washington, DC, at Georgetown's Cooper Field.
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