GAINESVILLE, Fla. – After lightning delayed the start of the game by 75 minutes, the No. 20 Vanderbilt lacrosse team suffered a 17-7 defeat at No. 9 Florida on a rainy Friday in American Athletic Conference action at Donald R. Dizney Stadium.
For the Commodores (11-3, 6-1 AAC), it is the first loss since Feb. 28 at No. 1 North Carolina and snaps a nine-game winning streak. Florida (10-2, 7-0 AAC) remains unbeaten in conference play.
“We didn’t feel like we played our game today,” Vanderbilt head coach Beth Hewitt said. “We need to come out on Sunday and play the way that we know that we are capable of playing as a group. We will make adjustments, but the bottom line is that we need to execute better under pressure.”
Bri Gross scored three goals and had four draw controls to lead Vanderbilt, which is ranked No. 20 in the Inside Lacrosse poll.
Bri Gross refused to be denied.
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🐊 31st » 21:23 #AnchorDown pic.twitter.com/FXNaOxOTUY
— Vanderbilt Lacrosse (@VandyLacrosse) April 16, 2021
Florida won five of the first six draws to open the game and sprinted out to a 5-1 lead on the scoreboard in the opening 12 minutes.
Gross got the Commodores on the board when she drove between three defenders and finished on the run with 21:23 to go before halftime.
Callie Sundin and Elizabeth Scarrone added first-half goals as the Gators took a 9-3 halftime edge.
Florida started the second half with an 8-0 run over the first 15 minutes of the period. In the final 10 minutes, Gross scored twice to go with goals from Nellie Blaze and Gabby Fornia.
Florida held a 36-16 edge on shots and had 18 draw controls to Vandy’s eight.
In goal, Paige Gunning made eight saves on the day, and Lexie de Roziere had one stop.
Game two between the two sides is scheduled for Sunday at 10 a.m. CT (11 a.m. ET) at Donald R. Dizney Stadium in Gainesville.
