GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The East Carolina lacrosse team fell to the No. 9 Florida Gators, 10-5, on Saturday at Donald R. Dizney Stadium. It was a defensive affair led by remarkable goalie play on both sides.

East Carolina (10-5, 3-1 AAC) got the first goal of the game Ellie Bromley opened the scoring off of a free position shot with 13:20 to play in the first. After a Florida (11-3, 3-1 AAC) goal, the score was level at one apiece for most of the first quarter before the Gators tallied two goals in the final 13 seconds of the period to take a 3-1 lead. It was the kind of late attack that has plagued the Pirates this season and gave Florida all of the momentum heading into the second quarter.

Despite the late goals, Brynn Knight was phenomenal in that first quarter with seven saves made.

Camryn Pennypacker and Emily Stratton scored the first two goals of the second quarter to level the game at three. The Gators answered though, to the tune of a five-goal run to retake and expand the lead.

 
Not for lack of chances neither team scored in the third quarter, bringing the teams into the final 15 minutes with an 8-3 margin for Florida.
 

Florida scored a pair of goals to start the fourth quarter, extending the lead to seven before Frances Kimel finally broke the ECU scoring drought with a goal with just 6:09 to play in the game. The Pirates had been held scoreless for 35:57 of game time.

 
Kimel added a second goal with 2:43 to play to make it a five goals game. It would be the game’s final goal.
 
Knight was fantastic, regardless of what the score might indicate, making save after save and giving her team a fighting shot in the game. She finished the game with 16 saves – a career high and second most in program history.
 
For the Pirates, the hunt for the program’s first win over a ranked opponent will continue and the closest game as yet against Florida feels no consolation. It remains true that the first is the hardest to get and stuck at 10 wins on the 2023 season, the Pirates continue on with plenty to play for.
 
With the result on Saturday, the Pirates and Gators are tied for second in the AAC at 3-1 with just two league games left to play.
 
Up Next
The Pirates remain on the road for a matchup with Temple on Saturday, April 22 at 12 p.m. in Philadelphia, Pa.