The Gators earned their fourth one-goal victory this season and improve to 3-0 in overtime on the year. Kaitlyn Davies scored the game-winning goal with 1:35 to play in double overtime.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. - Kaitlyn Davies connected on the game-winning goal in double overtime to propel No. 4 Florida (19-2, 5-0 Big 12) into the NCAA Tournament Quarterfinals, as they took down No. 10 Stanford (15-6, 7-2 ACC) by a score of 13-12 on Sunday afternoon.
The goal happened after Gianna Monaco's free-position shot with 1:44 left in double overtime was fired wide, which was scooped by Frannie Hahn. Hahn then found Davies in front of the net, where Davies shot trickled just past Lucy Pearson and seemingly went over the line, which was called a goal. After an officials review, the goal on the field was confirmed.
"We just kept saying it, we're not going home." Davies said after the game.
The game featured five ties and three lead changes, as the Gators led by as many as three goals twice and trailed by one goal twice. Florida earned its fourth one-goal victory and ninth come-from-behind win this season, as the Orange and Blue are headed to the Quarterfinals for the ninth-time in school history.
Davies led the way for Florida, tying a career high five goals, while also winning four draw controls, one ground ball and causing one turnover.
Jordan Basso contributed four goals, along with two from Monaco, and one each from Clark Hamilton and Josie Hahn.
After trailing the draw control battle 9-3 at halftime, UF won the draw controls 13-5 in the second half and overtime to outdraw the Cardinal 16-14 overall. Sophomore Gabbi Koury hauled in a career best six draw controls, while Davies helped set-up a draw control win for Josie Hahn at the start of the second overtime, which led to the game-winning possession for UF.
Celeste Forte caused a career high four turnovers, including a big-time strip of Stanford's Ava Arceri with seven seconds remaining in regulation to send the game to overtime at 12-12.
How It Happened
First Quarter
* Stanford struck first, but the Gators answered with two of their own, as Basso scored on a wrap around the crease to even it at 1-1 with 11:56 remaining. Monaco then scored with 6:45 to play off a great set-up out top from Koury to make it 2-1.
* Stanford connected on a man-up eight-meter goal with 1:27 to play to even it at 2-2 after one.
Second Quarter
* Florida struck with three consecutive goals to start the frame in the first 6:50. Basso scored her second off a feed from Gabby Greene, which was followed by a goal from Josie Hahn, facilitated by her sister Frannie to make it 4-2. Basso concluded the run with a man-up goal, off the pass from Monaco for her third of the day. Florida led 5-2.
* Stanford responded with two goals, before Hamilton ripped a goal past the goalkeeper to give UF a 6-4 lead at the break.
Third Quarter
* The two teams exchanged two goals apiece for the first four goals of the quarter, as Davies and Monaco scored for the Gators. UF led 8-6 with 11:29 to play.
* Stanford mounted three consecutive goals to end the quarter to give them a 9-8 lead heading into the fourth.
Fourth Quarter
* Florida came out scorching hot in the fourth, connecting on four consecutive goals in the first 2:58 of the frame, with three of them via Davies. She scored the first one, which was followed by a rip from Basso at the 13:22 mark to put Florida up 10-9.
* Florida scored its next goal just eight seconds later, as Davies won the draw control and bolted in from the left side to the cage and finished the score, making it 11-9. This led to a Stanford timeout.
* Following the timeout and a draw control win from Theresa Bragg, Davies scored another goal, as she weaved her way inside from the left wing to put Florida in front 12-9 with 12:02 to play.
* Stanford answered with three straight goals, to tie it at 12-12 with 4:41 remaining.
* Following a UF turnover on the next possession, Elyse Finnelle made a stop with 2:16 to play as Florida called timeout.
* After a Gators turnover with under one minute to play, UF stood strong as Forte caused a turnover on Aceri with seven seconds to play to send the game to overtime.
First Overtime
* Stanford won the opening draw, but could net end the game as they had two shots sail wide of the cage, to give Florida a possession in the three-minute frame.
* The Gators lost the ball with under 10 seconds remaining, but Josie Hahn instantly caused a turnover, which Monaco scooped up the loose ball. Monaco had her shot rejected by Pearson to send the game to double overtime.
Second Overtime
* In the second overtime, Josie Hahn came away with the draw control to give the Gators a chance to end the game on offense.
* Monaco drew a foul, giving her an eight-meter opportunity at the 1:44 mark, with a chance to send UF to the next round. Her shot was wide of the cage, in which Frannie Hahn scooped up. Hahn found Davies around the goal and Davies shot seemingly just trickled past Pearson, in which an official on the field called a goal.
* After review, the referees confirmed the goal on the field, to push the Gators past the Cardinal 13-12 in a double overtime thriller.
Coach O'Leary on the squad's success and willingness to stick together...
"I thought we competed from start to finish. When we look at what this team brings to the table, it's that we have each other's backs. It doesn't matter if we're up by four, down by four, overtime, I think that there is so much love and respect. That's taken us really far."
Key Notes
* Florida improves to 3-0 all-time against Stanford and 18-13 all-time in the NCAA Tournament
* The Gators improve to 3-0 this season in overtime, 1-2 all-time in NCAA Tournament overtime games, and 7-7 all-time in overtime events
* The Gators will make their ninth appearance in the NCAA Quarterfinals, hosting it for the first time since 2014
* For the fourth time in five years, the Gators have won at least two games in the NCAA Tournament
* Davies tied a career high five goals, good for her ninth hat-trick this season and 10th of her career
* Forte's four caused turnovers ties a UF NCAA Tournament game record, previously done three other times (notably by Theresa Bragg against Northwestern in the 2024 Final Four)
* Basso recorded her seventh hat-trick this season and 51st of her career, as the Graduate Student has five goals and four assists through two NCAA Tournament games with UF
* Monaco scored her 70th goal of the season, becoming the seventh player in the program to score 70 or more goals in a season
* Florida improves to 4-1 this season in one-goal games and have no recorded nine come-from-behind victories
* The Gators improve to 6-2 this season against ranked opponents
* Florida has won three consecutive NCAA Tournament games against ACC opponents
* Koury recorded a career high six draw controls
* Elyse Finnelle improves to 13-0 in net this season, as she made seven saves
* The Gators move to 11-0 this season when winning the draw control battle
Next Up
The fourth-seeded Gators will host the Duke Blue Devils in the Quarterfinals on Thursday. Coverage can be found on ESPNU.
