Game Preview: Navy vs. Florida Women’s Lacrosse
ANNAPOLIS, Md. – The No. 23 Navy women’s lacrosse squad (5-2) is set to conclude its nonconference slate as they take on the No. 6 Florida Gators (4-2) this Wednesday at 1:00 p.m. The match will be held at Donald R. Dizney Stadium in Gainesville, Florida, and fans can catch all the action live on ESPN+, along with real-time stats.
All-Time Series
This matchup between Navy and Florida marks their fourth encounter, with the Gators leading the series 2-1. The Midshipmen have won their only game against Florida at home in Annapolis, but are yet to secure a victory in Gainesville, having gone 0-2 at that venue.
In their first meeting back in 2018, Navy jumped out to a commanding 10-2 lead, only to lose 19-16 to Florida. Fast forward to 2019, when the Midshipmen made a stunning comeback, scoring five unanswered goals to upset No. 11 Florida 14-13, despite trailing by five goals earlier in the second half.
The last clash was in 2020, where No. 19 Navy fell 17-9 to No. 8 Florida after falling behind 6-0 in the initial minutes. This match was the last of the 2020 season, as the remainder was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Navy’s roster features one player from Florida, Ava Yovino (Parkland), and Florida has seven Maryland natives: Theresa Bragg (Severna Park), Ashley Dyer (Elkridge), Elyse Finnelle (Deale), Gabby Greene (Edgewater), Frannie Hahn (Catonsville), Josie Hahn (Catonsville), and Susan Radebaugh (Lutherville-Timonium).
Scouting the Midshipmen
Navy enters this competition with a record of 5-2 after narrowly losing 10-9 to Jacksonville. The game was tied at 9-9 until a crucial turnover allowed Jacksonville to secure the win with 16 seconds left on the clock.
As a team, the Midshipmen have netted 98 goals with 40 assists, gathered 121 ground balls, won 102 draw controls, and caused 55 turnovers throughout the season.
Leading the team in scoring is Emily Messinese, who has amassed 28 points through 19 goals and nine assists. Emma Kennedy follows closely with 20 points, including 17 goals. Mikayla Williams is just behind with 19 points, involving 12 goals and seven assists.
Alyssa Chung and Ava Yovino are tied for fourth on the team with 15 points each. Chung’s contributions include 13 goals and two assists, while Yovino has 10 goals and five assists. Rounding out those with double-digit points is Tori DiCarlo with 13 points on nine goals and four assists.
Defensively, Navy has forced 55 turnovers from their opponents while conceding 101. Felicia Giglio leads the way with 11 caused turnovers, and she also tops the charts with 17 ground balls. Others contributing defensively include Jaclyn Johns with nine takeaways and DeFabio and Chung with six and five, respectively.
In goal, Giglio has recorded 54 saves in over 408 minutes of play, averaging 10.0 saves across her last four outings. Meanwhile, Alyssa Daley has claimed an impressive 50 draw victories, becoming just the third player in Navy history to surpass 300 career draw controls.
Scouting the Gators
Florida heads into this match with a 4-2 record, having faced four ranked opponents so far, achieving a split with a 2-2 record in those games. Their most recent outing was a successful 15-9 victory against No. 15 Loyola.
Star performers for Florida include Frannie Hahn, Clark Hamilton, and Gianna Monaco, each contributing over 20 points this season. Hahn leads with 26 points thanks to 14 goals and 12 assists, while Hamilton and Monaco have scored 18 and 17 goals, respectively.
On defense, Theresa Bragg propels the team with a remarkable 13 caused turnovers, coupled with 10 ground balls. Florida’s goalkeepers, primarily Georgia Hoey and Elyse Finnelle, have shared duties with decent success.
National Rankings
The Navy women’s lacrosse team is currently recognized in two of three national polls, ranking No. 23 in the IWLCA Coaches Poll and No. 24 in the Inside Lacrosse Media Poll, while receiving votes in the USA Lacrosse rankings.
In contrast, Florida is ranked No. 6 in the IWLCA Coaches Poll, No. 10 in the Inside Lacrosse Media Poll, and is positioned at No. 9 according to USA Lacrosse.
Looking Ahead
Post the Florida game, Navy will return home to kick off its Patriot League schedule, facing Colgate (3-4, 0-1) on Saturday, March 15 at 1:00 p.m. The match will also be available for live viewing on ESPN+ and stats will be accessible online. Additionally, the game can be listened to live on 1430 AM / 99.9 FM WNAV, as well as via the WNAV website and the Audacy app.
