Temple loses final regular season game to No. 10 Florida

Temple Lacrosse had a chance to end No. 10 Florida’s perfect record in the American Athletic Conference and earn a share of the regular season conference championship during the Owls’ final game of the regular season.

However, Temple’s nationally-ranked defense could not stop the best-scoring offense in the country, as the Gators scored nine goals in the second period and didn’t look back.

Temple Lacrosse (9-6, 4-2 American Athletic Conference) fell to No. 10 Florida (15-2, 6-0 AAC) 18-7 Saturday afternoon at Dizney Stadium in Gainesville, Florida, failing to clinch a win with the number-one seed in the AAC Tournament on the line.

The Owls held Florida to two goals in the first period, but the Gators soon took control. Temple could not fight back, as the team was outscored 7-4 in the second half. 

KEY MOMENTS 

• After four saves by Temple goalkeeper Talyor Grollman, Florida scored two with just a minute between them and eight minutes remaining in the opening quarter. 
• Attacker Mackenzie Roth put Temple on the scoreboard with five minutes left in the first quarter. 
• Owls midfielder Belle Mastropietro missed a free-position goal wide with four seconds left in the first period, failing to tie the game as the Gators led 2-1.
• Florida scored in the first minute of the second period to take a two-goal lead. The Gators found momentum after that, scoring eight more before halftime.
• Temple midfielder Maeve Tobin fired a shot with just eight seconds left in the first half, but Florida goalkeeper Elyse Finnelle made the save, sending the Owls into the locker room down 11-3. 
• The Gators outscored the Owls 3-2 in the third period. Roth scored her second goal of the game, and Temple attacker Amelia Wright also found the back of the net. 
• Roth scored again in the fourth, earning her third hat-trick this season. Mastropietro recorded her second goal of the game, and both goals came while the Owls were in a man-up situation. 
• The Gators capped off their commanding victory with a free-position goal by midfielder Jackie Norsworthy, extending their lead to 11. 

THE NUMBERS

• Attacker Danielle Pavinelli led the Gators with five goals. Attacker Maggi Hall and midfielder Sarah Falk followed with four scores each.
• Roth led Temple with three goals. Mastropietro and Wright were the only other Owls to score with two goals each.
• Grollman tied her season high with 15 saves. Temple had seven more saves than the Gators, as Florida outshot Temple 35-22. 
• The Owls struggled to maintain possession of the ball, recording 15 turnovers. The Gators weren’t too far behind with 11 turnovers of their own.

ON TAP

Temple will travel to Nashville, Tennessee, to compete in the AAC Tournament as the second seed, where they will face James Madison on May 2 at 8:15 p.m.