The Top-10 matchup is slated for a 12 p.m. start on ESPN+ in Harrisonburg.
Game Notes
HARRISONBURG, Va. – Florida's fourth Top-10 matchup of the season is slated for Saturday, when the eighth-ranked Gators travel to the seventh-ranked James Madison Dukes to begin conference play.
Opening draw is slated for 12 p.m. at Sentara Park and fans that cannot attend can watch the game on ESPN+.
No. 8 Florida at No. 7 James Madison Live Stream
The Gators enter their fifth season in the league, having won the regular season and tournament championship in each of the complete seasons thus far (2019, 2021, 2022). This is James Madison's first season in the AAC after competing in the Colonial Athletic Association a season ago.
Florida has gone undefeated in the AAC since joining in 2019.
The Gators and the Dukes are meeting for the third time in program history, with the series tied 1-1. The last time these two teams faced off, James Madison took the closely-contested NCAA Quarterfinal game 11-8 on May 19, 2018.
Florida is coming off a midweek victory over Colgate, topping the Raiders 18-5, while JMU topped then-No. 23 Johns Hopkins in its last contest on March 11.
History in the American Athletic Conference
- Florida kicks off its fifth season in the American Athletic Conference after winning both the regular season conference championship and the conference tournament championship a season ago
- With that win, the Gators have now won a regular season conference title 11 times in 13 seasons as a program (2010, 2020 - shortened season)
- That was also the eighth-straight tournament championship for Florida and the ninth overall
- UF has been able to hoist both the regular season conference trophy and the conference tournament trophy nine times in program history
- Florida has gone undefeated in the AAC since joining in 2019
- The Gators have recorded 45-straight regular season conference wins, dating back to March 26, 2016
- Including conference tournaments, Florida has a streak of 59-consecutive league victories, dating back to April 30, 2015
Florida in the AAC
- Through seven games in the 2023 season, the Gators are ranked in the Top-5 in the league in eight categories:
- Saves per game (1st | 10.57)
- Save percentage (2nd | .510)
- Shot percentage (2nd | .481)
- Goals per game (2nd | 14.86)
- Points per game (2nd | 21.43)
- Assists per game (2nd | 6.57)
- Caused turnovers per game (3rd | 8.71)
- Draw controls per game (4th | 13.57)
- The following Gators are ranked in the Top-10 in the conference:
- Emma LoPinto
- Goals per game:7th | 2.57
- Points per game: 5th | 3.86
- Assists per game: 4th | 1.29
- Shots per game: 10th | 4.71
- Maggi Hall
- Goals per game: 9th | 2.39
- Ashley Gonzalez
- Assists per game: 4th | 1.29
- Danielle Pavinelli
- Shots per game: 9th | 5.00
- Emily Heller
- Groundballs per game: 10th | 1.86
- Draw controls per game: 10th | 3.00
- Sarah Reznick
- Save percentage: 2nd | .508
- Saves per game: 2nd | 9.29
- Goals against average: 5th | 10.67
Scouting the Dukes
- James Madison comes into Saturday's game with a 7-1 record and the No. 7 ranking according to the IWLCA/ ILWomen Top-25 Poll
- This is the Dukes' first season in the American Athletic Conference after winning the CAA Regular Season Championship a season ago
- Isabella Peterson is leading the way offensively with 42 points (36g, 6a), followed by 34 points from Tai Jankowski (22g, 12a). Katelyn Morgan has recorded 21 points on 6g and 15a, while Maddie Epke has 18 points (8g, 10a) through eight games this season
- Isabella Peterson has registered a teamhigh 33 draw controls, while Rachel Matey is just one behind with 32. Maddie Epke (29) and Taylor Marchetti (10) have combined for 39 draw control victories
- Defensively, the Dukes have totaled 86 caused turnovers. Mairead Durkin leads the way with 21, while Rachel Matey and Nicholle Marshall have each totaled nine caused turnovers in eight games
- Rachel Matey and Kat Buchanan have tallied 15 and 14 groundballs, respectively, while three other Dukes have groundballs in double-digits
- In the cage, Kat Buchanan has seen 444 minutes, coming up with 49 saves and a .454 save percentage
Florida vs. James Madison Statistical Comparison
| Florida (7 games) |
< |="">>>> |
JMU (8 games) |
| 104 |
Goals |
101 |
| 46 |
Assists |
56 |
| 95 |
Draw Controls |
112 |
| 106 |
Groundballs |
127 |
| 61 |
Caused Turnovers |
86 |
| 216 |
Shots |
246 |
| 166 |
Shots on Goal |
186 |
| .481 |
Shot Percentage |
.411 |
| 74 |
Saves |
52 |
| .510 |
Save Percentage |
.448 |
100-Club
- The Gators have three athletes on the cusp of entering the 100-point club this season, with Ashley Gonzalez sitting just one point away from becoming Florida's 22nd 100-point scorer
- Paisley Eagan is at 87 career points, with 86 of them coming while she has donned the Orange & Blue (one point at Boston College prior to transferring)
- Emily Heller is currently at 75 career points to round out the Gators on a quest to hit the milestone
Quick Facts
- Gators head coach Amanda O'Leary is the 6th winningest active Division I coach with her .755 winning percentage in 28 seasons (370-120, .755). O'Leary has the 3rd most wins of active Division I coaches with 370 wins. O'Leary is 208-55 (.791) all-time at the University of Florida
- When scoring at least 14 goals, the Gators are 171-2 in program history
- Streaking: Sarah Reznick has recorded a save in 58-straight games, a new program record
- Streaking: Danielle Pavinelli has registered a point in 32-straight games and a goal in 30-straight games (fifth-longest streak)
- Streaking: Emily Heller had recorded a draw control in 30-straight games, the third-longest streak in program history
No. 8 Florida vs. No. 7 James Madison Broadcast Information
Time & Date: Saturday, March 18 | 12 p.m.
Live Stream: ESPN+ ($)
Live Stats: Statbroadcast
Series Information – No. 8 Florida vs. No. 7 James Madison
Dukes | 2023 season: 7-1, 0-0 AAC
- This is the third meeting between the Gators and the Dukes
- Series tied 1-1
- Home: 1-0 | Away: 0-1 | Neutral: 0-0
- Last Meeting: May 19, 2018 | Harrisonburg, Va. | NCAA Quarterfinal | L, 8-11
Follow the Gators:
#FLax
Twitter
Instagram
Facebook
