HUNTSVILLE, Alabama — Isabella Galbis (Orlando, Fla.) scored four times to claim Player of the Game accolades as No. 11-ranked/Southeast Division Champion/2019 Women’s National Collegiate Club Champion the University of Florida began a quest to repeat as National Champion with a 12-8 defeat of Midwest Division runner-up Grand Valley State University in the opening game of the 2022 Women’s National Collegiate Club Championship.
Competing at the Huntsville Aquatics Center in Huntsville, Alabama, the Gators opened up a 2-0 lead by the 3:25 mark of the first quarter and never looked back in downing the Lakers and earning a spot in the tournament quarterfinals on Saturday, May 7, at 9:00 a.m. against the victor of a first round game pitting No. 7/Big Ten Division Champion the University of Michigan and Rocky Mountain Division Champion Colorado State University.
Grand Valley falls into the consolation side of the bracket and will battle the fallen from the Wolverines/Rams clash at 9:50 p.m. this evening with eyes on playing its way back to a Ninth Place finish in the final 16-team championship standings.
Florida pulled ahead to stay with strikes by Galbis (4:42) and Caroline Grzeszczak (Orlando, Fla.) (3:25) by race out to a 2-0 margin. Izzy Lee answered for the Lakers prior to the conclusion of the opening frame by putting away a penalty shot at 1:49 to shave Florida’s margin down to 2-1.
Back-to-back markers by Ophelie Jacobson (Orlando, Fla.) at the 5:04 and 1:48 marks of the second quarter expanded the spread to 4-1 before Madeline Worst dumped in a shot at 1:28 to make it 4-2. Elise Gaines (Orlando, Fla.) and Galbis responded with back-to-back markers with 24 and two seconds until halftime, respectively, but Emily Tuttle heaved in a shot with one tick left on the clock to trim Florida’s lead to 6-3.
Emily Lennon (Orlando, Fla.) (5:13) and Lee (4:37, penalty shot) exchanged goals to begin the third quarter to set the scoreboard at 7-4. The back-and-forth continued as Galbis (4:21, penalty shot), Lee (3:50), Francesca Brunetti (30 seconds) and Maddie Magrino (Orlando, Fla.) (one second) landed scoring blows to make it 9-6 heading into the fourth quarter.
Jacobson began the final seven minutes by twirling in her team’s 10th tally with 4:57 left in regulation to widen the gap to 10-6.
However, Grand Valley State turned up the heat on the Gators as Lee (4:18) and Tuttle (3:44) dented the twine with back-to-back strikes to put the Lakers within striking distance at 10-8.
Florida put to rest any doubts about the defending National Champion’s advancement into the quarteffinals as Grzeszczak (2:09) and Galbis (37 seconds) found the back of the cage to cap off the 12-8 win.
For Florida, Galbis (four), Jacobson (three) and Grzeszczak (two) each notched multi-goal games, while Lennon, Gaines and Magrino each notched solo tallies. Emma Morgan (Orlando, Fla.) and Audrey Anderson (Orlando, Fla.) combined for two saves in cage.
Across the tank, Lee posted a game high four goals with Tuttle chipping in a pair. Brunetti and Worst notched single markers in support of a 10 save effort by Morgan Beers.
The Gators – who are making the program’s 15th appearance at the National Collegiate Club Championship – are guaranteed to continue a string of never finishing outside the Top 10 at the National Club tournament as the victory locks in at least a Top Eight finish for Florida. Historically, Florida has previously placed first (2019), second (2001, 2006), third (2002, 2004, 2012, 2018), fourth (2003, 2016), fifth (2000, 2011), seventh (2008), eighth (2014) and ninth (2005, 2007) in the program’s prior trips to Nationals.
Grand Valley – which made the field as a replacement for Pacific Coast Division Champion/No. 2 California Polytechnic State University which elected not to compete at the 2022 Women’s National Collegiate Club Championship – can not finish higher than Ninth in the final 16-team championship standings.
In the history of the event, the Lakers have previously finished sixth (2016, 2017) and 11th (2010) as the team has the opportunity to post its third best mark all-time.
| 1st Q | 2nd Q | 3rd Q | 4th Q | – | FINAL | |
| Grand Valley State University |
1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | – | 8 |
| No. 11 University of Florida | 2 | 4 | 3 | 3 | – | 12 |
| Florida Goals: | Isabella Galbis (4); Ophelie Jacobson (3); Caroline Grzeszczak (2); Emily Lennon; Elise Gaines; Maddie Magrino | |||||
| GVSU Goals: | Izzy Lee (4); Emily Tuttle (2); Francesca Brunetti; Madeline Worst | |||||
| Saves: | Florida – Emma Morgan (1, 14 minutes), Audrey Anderson (1, 14 minutes); GVSU – Morgan Beers (10) | |||||
| Exclusions: | Florida – 5; GVSU – 3 | |||||
| Advantage Opportunities: | Florida – 1-for-3; GVSU – 2-for-5 | |||||
| Sprints: | Florida – 4-for-4; GVSU – 0-for-4 | |||||
| Cards/Misconducts: | None | |||||
| Officials: | Brandon Nicholson; Matt Langford | |||||
Grand Valley State University’s Morgan Beers (#1) prepares to stop a shot by the University of Florida’s Elise Gaines (#15)
University of Florida’s Audrey Anderson (#1) stops a shot by Grand Valley State University’s Francesca Brunetti (#21)
University of Florida’s Maddie Magrino (#13) looks for an opening as Grand Valley State University’s Megan White (#17) and Julia Michalik (#8) defend
