USF women’s lacrosse battles Florida, suffers first loss of inaugural season
For the first time in program history, USF women’s lacrosse faced a top-ten opponent.
And for the first time, they tasted defeat.
The Bulls took on No. 6 Florida on Tuesday, showing flashes of resilience but ultimately falling 18-11 at Corbett stadium.
A rough first quarter put USF in a hole early, but coach Mindy McCord’s squad settled in and made the powerhouse Gators earn every goal the rest of the way.
“After that, we played them tighter,” McCord said. “We won the second, lost the third by two, and the fourth by one. That’s what we have to build on.”
Related: USF women’s lacrosse nabs first win in program history
Despite the loss, McCord said there were spots where “the team can learn from this [loss]”.
Sophomore attacker Sofia Chepenik led the Bulls with five goals on 10 shots, pushing her season total to 10.
Freshman midfielder Kaitlyn Tartaglione added two goals, while goalkeeper Paige Pagano faced a relentless Gators attack, making nine saves on 38 shots.
Florida (3-1) took advantage of USF’s nine penalties, converting five into goals. The Gators also dominated possession early, forcing the Bulls to adjust.
“We have to be more disciplined,” McCord said. “They knew how to draw those calls, and we have to be able to adjust to that.”
USF (3-1) bounced back in the second quarter, outscoring the Gators 4-3 to trim the deficit to 9-5 at halftime.
Freshman attacker Ava Uphues struck twice in the period, and the Bulls defense settled in, limiting clean looks at goal.
Related: USF women’s lacrosse picks up third straight win against Lehigh
Florida’s dominance in the draw control battle proved to be a deciding factor.
Winning 22 of 32 draw controls, the Gators consistently controlled possession, limiting USF’s opportunities to close the gap and sustain momentum.
“We threw a lot of different matchups at them,” McCord said. “We have to develop more players in that area, and we will.”
McCord viewed the matchup as an early-season measuring stick, a test of where the Bulls stand against elite competition.
“It’s a great litmus test,” she said. “We’re seeing a lot of different offenses and defenses, so we’re getting the experience we need. We call this the first quarter of our season, and we have to use these lessons to make adjustments before conference play.”
She also believes the game serves as a barometer for the team’s growth.
“Lacrosse is a game of momentum,” McCord said. “And if we keep the score closer, the result might look a little different.”
Women’s lacrosse faces Towson at home at 12 p.m. Sunday.
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