WEST PALM BEACH, Fla.- The Ave Maria University lacrosse team concluded the 2023 season on Saturday, falling 14-3 to the nation's No. 1 team, the Keiser University Seahawks, in West Palm Beach. The Gyrenes hung around with the top-ranked Seahawks for around 25 minutes, trailing just 5-2 with five minutes remaining in the first half before KU finished the game with nine of the final ten goals to put AMU away.

Ave Maria's defense held up well in the first 15 minutes of action, holding Keiser to just three goals in the opening frame. AMU got on the board themselves after the first two Keiser goals, cutting the Seahawk lead in half with a Hannah Shaffrey goal with just over two and half minutes remaining in the quarter. Emily Durr was brilliant in goal for the Gyrenes in the first quarter, saving seven of the ten shots fired upon her.  

The second quarter saw the game grind to a halt, as only three goals were scored in the first ten minutes of play. Keiser scored on their first opportunity of the quarter to make it 4-1, but Abigail Seiler answered with a goal of her own, cutting the KU lead to 4-2 on an assist from Allison Fifield. Keiser would score their fifth goal at the 9:46 mark of the second, then added two goals in a span of 34 seconds to widen the lead to 7-2 at halftime.

Keiser took further control of the match in the second half, outscoring the Gyrenes by a 7-1 margin. Keiser scored four goals in the third quarter to widen their lead to 11-3, then scored three more in the final quarter to hit the final margin of eleven. The lone goal of the second half for the Gyrenes, which would prove to be AMU's final goal of the season, was scored by sophomore Claire Ichniowski. 

Seiler was the lone Gyrene in the match with multiple points, as AMU's leading scorer finished her sophomore season with one goal and one assist. Kylie Tittinger led the defensive effort with five caused turnovers and four ground balls, both of which were team highs. Both AMU goalkeepers played well in the losing effort, as Durr and Hannah McConologue combined to make 15 saves, recording an overall save percentage of better than 50 percent.

The Gyrenes also hit two milestones in the final week of the season. Sophomore Hannah Shaffrey became just the fourth player in AMU history with 100 points in a career, hitting the mark in just two seasons of play. Additionally, freshman Kylie Tittinger set a new school record with 32 caused turnovers, breaking the existing record with five on the final day of the season. Three other Gyrenes - Orianna Eldridge, Francesca Paige, and Monrae Prentice - logged more than 20 caused turnovers to finish in the top ten all-time in the category.

2023 proved to be a successful season for the Gyrenes, as AMU earned multiple signature wins under first-year head coach Katelyn Sherman. Ave Maria defeated two ranked teams during the season, beating Siena Heights playing a man down and knocking off then-No. 1 Benedictine at Gyrene Field. The 2024 season is expected to be a promising one for AMU, with every goal scored during the 2023 season scored by freshmen, sophomores, and juniors.