March 25, 2016
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Vanderbilt lacrosse team kicks off BIG EAST action Saturday afternoon, taking on their toughest opponent of the 2016 season, the No. 2 Florida Gators. Saturday’s game will be televised on the SEC network+, with opening draw scheduled for 11:30 am CT.
The Commodores come off a hard 14-13 loss to BU, but have worked hard this week in practice and in the film room in preparation for their BIG EAST opener. Vandy looks to slow down the Gator offense, which comes off a hard 14-4 loss to the No. 1 Maryland Terrapins. The setback was the squad’s first of the season, and occurred at home in Gainesville.
“I think we play a really challenging schedule,” said head coach Cathy Swezey, “so I think we’ve already played some of the best teams out there. We’ve been challenged and succeeded, and we’ve been challenged and we failed. The game the other day against BU was a setback for us, to give up a five-goal lead and end up losing. So I’m hoping those kinds of things will give us perspective and teach us to play a 60-minute game. We’re excited for this game. We’re ready, it’s a new season and we’re ready for it.”
Vanderbilt has four Commodores with double-digit goals. Kelly Chandler leads the team with 24 goals on 38 shots on goal. The redshirt junior is approaching her season-high of 27 goals, which was set during her sophomore season. Jill Doherty leads the squad with 28 points. Both Chandler and Doherty earned hat tricks in their last competition.
In goal, Callahan Kent has a career-high 93 phenomenal saves in her repertoire this year. The junior averages 11.33 saves per game, facing 249 shots this season.
Unlike any other season an addition to the Commodore staff, in assistant coach Shannon Gilroy, has given the team a new perspective on the Gators. Saturday’s game will be a bit of a homecoming for Gilroy, as the three-time All-American graduated from Florida and led the squad past VU last spring.
“Shannon was a fabulous, outstanding player, and a several time All-American for Florida. She was extremely loyal to that program, as she still is. She’s given us the insight we need as far as individual talents. But I will say this, regardless of what she does tell us; Florida is one of the best teams in the country. So she can give us all the insight she wants to, but we still have to prepare the best we have all year.”
Florida averages 12.8 goals per game, and a 50.2% shot percentage. Overall this season, the Gators have 128 goals, 15 from free-position and 71 unassisted. Seven Gators have scored in the double-digits, with Graziano and Burgess leading the team with 19 apiece.
A trio of goalies has earned starts in the cage for UF, with Wilcox leading in goal with 46 saves on 10 starts.
“Florida’s speed is outrageous. They’re so so fast… and everything they do about the game is fast. They will try to set a very fast pace on us early in the game and watching film back, they’ve done that to several opponents, and it rattles opponents. So if we can get control of the ball first, we’re going to try to bring the pace down and set the tempo. I think one good thing is that they’re about 50/50 on the draw, so they don’t necessary have the dominance on the draw that some of our past opponents have. If we can get the chance at some of those possessions we feel that’s going to help.”