BIG EAST Notes - 3.30.17
Stevens Makes It Two In A Row
For the second week in a row, No. 3/3 Florida snagged a national player of the week certificate as reigning BIG EAST Attacker of the Week Mollie Stevens was named IWLCA National Offensive Player of the Week on Wednesday night. Gator sophomore Lindsey Ronbeck earned the recognition last week. Against then-No. 13/13 Denver, Stevens scored five goals against a Pioneers defense which came into the contest only giving up 7.75 total goals per game. She also recorded six draw controls and tied for the team lead with four ground balls.
BEDN Debut
The BIG EAST Digital Network will stream its first women’s lacrosse game of the season on Saturday when NR/RV Temple visits Georgetown at 1 p.m. (ET). The Owls topped the Hoyas last year 11-4 in Philadelphia thanks to an 8-2 opening half, clinching a BIG EAST Championship berth in the process. Notable players from last year’s matchup that return this year include Temple’s Brenda McDermott and Morgan Glassford, who combined for three goals in last season’s meeting, and Hoya keeper Maddy Fisher, who had three saves a season ago and is the reigning BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week.
Pivotal Weekend Matchups
The three-team first-place tie will be whittled down to at most two teams on Saturday as No. 3/3 Florida (2-0) and NR/RV Vanderbilt (2-0) meet at noon on Saturday in Gainesville. Fellow first-place squad Georgetown (2-0) will look to remain in the lead when it hosts NR/RV Temple (1-1), streaming on the BIG EAST Digital Network. Ties will be broken throughout the standings as 1-1 squads Villanova and Marquette square off in Milwaukee, while either Cincinnati or Butler are guaranteed to claim their first BIG EAST win of the season as the two battle in in Ohio on Saturday. Connecticut also eyes its first league win of the season, but will be tasked with a nationally squad in No. 14/14 Denver in Sunday’s lone contest.
Last Night in #BIGEASTwlax: No. 1/1 Maryland 18, No. 3/3 Florida 8
Florida (8-2) dropped an 18-8 decision on the road at No. 1 Maryland (10-0) on Wednesday. No. 3 Florida kept the game close in the first half, and only trailed the Terrapins 4-3 with 5:10 left before halftime after a Lindsey Ronbeck goal. The Gators outshot Maryland 24-17 in the first half, but Maryland's goalkeeper Megan Taylor saved 15 of those shot attempts on her way to a 20-save performance. The two teams traded goals over the opening minutes of the second frame before the Terps went on a 7-1 spurt to pull away. The road setback was the first of the season for the third-ranked Gators.
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