The Vols club lacrosse team fell to the Gators in the season opener in Knoxville, 14-11, on Friday, Feb. 7. Tennessee (0-1) had the hot hand to start the game, but the relentless Gators (2-0) took control of the game through the second and third quarters, which proved to be the difference.
Here’s how it went down.
Slow first half despite a strong start
The Vols came out strong, netting three goals in the first eight minutes to gain a 3-1 edge. However, the advantage was short-lived. Florida came roaring back, scoring two more goals in the first quarter while holding the Vols at three.
The second quarter followed how the last seven minutes of the first did. The Gators got on the scoreboard first, but the Vols answered back to tie the game at 4. That would be the only point of the quarter for the Vols while the Gators went on a 3-0 run to end the first half.
“We need to work on communication,” head coach Tim McGeeney said. “It’s such a big part of the game, especially on the defensive side. We need to make sure the seven guys on defense are on the same page and talking to each other.”
Goalie play makes the difference
One of the focal points of the game came from inside the cage. Sophomore Kyler Gornick recorded five saves, but let up seven goals for the Vols in the first half.
The second half didn’t go the way he wanted either, allowing seven more goals while only tabbing one more save.
“Credit to Florida,” McGeeney said. “Their goalie played excellent, and Kyler played great as well. The goalies were probably the difference in the game, but it’s still game one.”
Late comeback falls short
Despite a four-goal difference leading into the fourth quarter, the Vols were able to cause chaos in Knoxville.
Facing as much as a five-goal deficit in the third quarter, Tennessee was finally able to gain momentum, ripping off a four-goal run to bring the deficit to a single goal, being down a mere 12-11 deficit with nine minutes left in the game.
Unfortunately for the Vols, that would be the last time they scored on the night. The Gators, however, weren’t done. They found the back of the net twice more in the final five minutes to secure a 14-11 victory over the Vols.
Despite the loss, the Vols’ offense shone. Mason Cain finished the contest with four assists in attack, and Tommy Ruddo led the midfield with two goals and an assist.
“It was hard for us to get one goal, and then another,” McGeeney said. “We need to start stacking goals. Florida did a good job of putting one in the back of the net when we started to get momentum, and that was a big part of it.”
Up next
The Vols will travel to High Point, North Carolina, for a weekend of games. They’ll begin their weekend slate playing High Point on Saturday, Feb. 15, and finish the weekend with North Carolina’s club team on Sunday, Feb. 16.
