TicketsCINCINNATI -- The Cincinnati lacrosse team will look to build off its explosive recent play with its toughest challenge yet: traveling to No. 8 Florida for a Saturday 12 p.m. bout.
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THE LATEST
The Bearcats have won back-to-back contests by a 36-9 margin, first doing its most-ever damage against Vanderbilt (19-6 on Saturday), then defeating Butler 17-3 on Wednesday in a non-conference battle. UC is 1-0 in AAC play for the first time, and a win over the Gators would be its first over a ranked team.
Included in that scoring margin is a phenomenal 72-25 shots advantage. Sophia Finotti earned her first-career Defender of the Week honor and has been instrumental in the team going 30-for-31 in clears over the last two contests.
SERIES HISTORY
Cincinnati is seeking its first win in its 12th meeting with the Gators. Last year's contest in Nippert Stadium was postponed two days due to flight issues, and UC put up a worthy fight in a 19-12 defeat. It marked its highest offensive output in the all-time matchup, finishing strong on a 6-3 run. Current Bearcats Grace Wehland (two goals and an assist) and Ava Goeller (one goal and three assists) provided sparks to supplement Kylie Nause's four goals, en route to her eventual single-season school record of 63.
These two teams also met in the inaugural AAC title game (2019), with the Gators prevailing 15-9 at Cincinnati's Sheakley Field that is currently under construction for a new indoor facility.
CALLAGHAN STAYS HOT
Freshman Camryn Callaghan scored five goals in the win over Butler after four against Vanderbilt, and she is now third nationally for total goals and goals-per-game. She leads a pack of five freshmen in the national top-50, with Army West Point's Brigid Duffy next at 16th. With 43 goals, she is sixth in school history and 20 away from catching Nause's mark last year.
Laura Simanski's 47 goals in 2009, which was also a team-high, is the UC freshman record and occurred in the program's second season.
GOELLER PROVIDING VALUABLE MIDFIELD SPARK
Ava Goeller ranks second on the team in goals (29) and draw controls (18). Her 15 assists also already match her mark from last year, providing a needed service in the wake of Elizabeth Murphy's lengthy injury (has not played since March 7, led team with 20 assists in 2022).
Goeller was a Second-Team All-AAC selection as well, and this year she has two Midfielder of the Week honors after being selected to the preseason team.
MLKVY TAKING CONTROL
Dani Mlkvy has already jumped into a tie for second in school history with 85 draw controls. Her sister, Sam, holds the record of 97 in 2019 and also had 85 in 2021. Dani holds the other top two spots that include her aforementioned 85 this year and 81 in 2022. Her 14 at Ohio State was one off the single-game record, set by Sam in the 2021 opener with Marquette, and she had 13 at Gardner-Webb as well.
Mlkvy leads the AAC and is eighth nationally with 8.2 DCs per game.
SLAYING BETWEEN THE PIPES
Junior Ashley Lapp has truly risen to the occasion as the year has transpired. The Akron transfer is UC's third starting goalkeeper in as many years, and her 9.25 GAA would be the best in program history, and it ranks 22nd nationally (up from 12.94 last year). Her best outing was 12 saves in a 14-11 win at Youngstown State (Feb. 22). She started 27 matches over her two years with the Zips.
ESPN+ | Live Stats
THE LATEST
The Bearcats have won back-to-back contests by a 36-9 margin, first doing its most-ever damage against Vanderbilt (19-6 on Saturday), then defeating Butler 17-3 on Wednesday in a non-conference battle. UC is 1-0 in AAC play for the first time, and a win over the Gators would be its first over a ranked team.
Included in that scoring margin is a phenomenal 72-25 shots advantage. Sophia Finotti earned her first-career Defender of the Week honor and has been instrumental in the team going 30-for-31 in clears over the last two contests.
SERIES HISTORY
Cincinnati is seeking its first win in its 12th meeting with the Gators. Last year's contest in Nippert Stadium was postponed two days due to flight issues, and UC put up a worthy fight in a 19-12 defeat. It marked its highest offensive output in the all-time matchup, finishing strong on a 6-3 run. Current Bearcats Grace Wehland (two goals and an assist) and Ava Goeller (one goal and three assists) provided sparks to supplement Kylie Nause's four goals, en route to her eventual single-season school record of 63.
These two teams also met in the inaugural AAC title game (2019), with the Gators prevailing 15-9 at Cincinnati's Sheakley Field that is currently under construction for a new indoor facility.
CALLAGHAN STAYS HOT
Freshman Camryn Callaghan scored five goals in the win over Butler after four against Vanderbilt, and she is now third nationally for total goals and goals-per-game. She leads a pack of five freshmen in the national top-50, with Army West Point's Brigid Duffy next at 16th. With 43 goals, she is sixth in school history and 20 away from catching Nause's mark last year.
Laura Simanski's 47 goals in 2009, which was also a team-high, is the UC freshman record and occurred in the program's second season.
GOELLER PROVIDING VALUABLE MIDFIELD SPARK
Ava Goeller ranks second on the team in goals (29) and draw controls (18). Her 15 assists also already match her mark from last year, providing a needed service in the wake of Elizabeth Murphy's lengthy injury (has not played since March 7, led team with 20 assists in 2022).
Goeller was a Second-Team All-AAC selection as well, and this year she has two Midfielder of the Week honors after being selected to the preseason team.
MLKVY TAKING CONTROL
Dani Mlkvy has already jumped into a tie for second in school history with 85 draw controls. Her sister, Sam, holds the record of 97 in 2019 and also had 85 in 2021. Dani holds the other top two spots that include her aforementioned 85 this year and 81 in 2022. Her 14 at Ohio State was one off the single-game record, set by Sam in the 2021 opener with Marquette, and she had 13 at Gardner-Webb as well.
Mlkvy leads the AAC and is eighth nationally with 8.2 DCs per game.
SLAYING BETWEEN THE PIPES
Junior Ashley Lapp has truly risen to the occasion as the year has transpired. The Akron transfer is UC's third starting goalkeeper in as many years, and her 9.25 GAA would be the best in program history, and it ranks 22nd nationally (up from 12.94 last year). Her best outing was 12 saves in a 14-11 win at Youngstown State (Feb. 22). She started 27 matches over her two years with the Zips.