Big third quarter pushes No. 4 Florida past CU

COLLEGE LACROSSE

A big opportunity, as well as a share of first place, slipped through the collective fingers of the Colorado women’s lacrosse team.

In a battle between the two teams atop the standings in the new Big 12 Conference women’s lacrosse league, a disastrous third quarter spelled doom for the Buffaloes, who dropped a 15-10 decision against No. 4 Florida on Saturday at Prentup Field.

The defeat ends a run of five wins in six games for the Buffs, who returned to .500 overall (6-6) while dropping to 2-1 in the Big 12.

Florida (12-2, 3-0 Big 12) won its ninth consecutive game and took sole possession of first in the Big 12 with two conference games remaining in the regular season.

The Gators also improved to 5-0 all-time against CU. The Buffs fell to 2-5 this season against ranked foes.

Colorado College graduate transfer Kendall Havill scored three of her four goals during the second quarter as the Buffs took a 7-6 lead at halftime. Lily Assini’s second goal gave CU an 8-6 lead just 49 seconds into the second half, but afterward Florida quickly took control.

Florida reeled off the next six goals, scoring all of them in a span of seven and a half minutes to take a 12-8 lead. A goal from Madeline Pisani rallied the Buffs to within 12-9, but CU scored only one goal over the final 20 minutes, while the Gators added a pair of insurance tallies early in the fourth quarter.

Havill scored a season-high four goals for the second consecutive game and has recorded 12 goals in the past four games. Freshman goalie Elena Oh finished with 11 saves.

Both teams put up 30 shots, but Florida posted a 26-21 advantage in shots on goal.

“[Florida is] a good team in every position, every player on the field — in some ways, maybe that caught up to us,” CU head coach Ann Elliott Whidden said in a release.

“We were in a position to make some plays, and we didn’t make them. We have to find the balance on defense. I don’t think this is the first game where we have a quarter where we give up seven goals or more. So, defensively, we have to do better, and that’s on me and how we prepare. Then there are some positions where we just have to make the plays and finish the plays, and we didn’t do that.”

CU hosts Denver on Thursday in the final nonconference game of the season (7 p.m., ESPN+).