Goals from three different Gators gave the No. 12 University of Florida soccer team (14-2-2, 8-1-1 SEC) a 3-1 win over Arkansas (5-10-3, 2-6-2 SEC) Sunday afternoon at the James G. Pressly Stadium.
| Sunday’s SEC Scores | |||
| Away | Score | Home | Score |
| LSU | 0 | No. 18 South Carolina | 1 |
| Auburn | 2 | No. 25 Georgia | 1 |
| Alabama | 0 | Tennessee | 1 OT2 |
| Mississippi | 3 | Vanderbilt | 2 |
| Mississippi State | 1 | Kentucky | 5 |
The win sets up the regular-season finale as the decisive match for the 2010 Southeastern Conference title. Both Florida and No. 18 South Carolina have identical league records of 8-1-1 and share the top spot in the league standings. Florida will meet South Carolina in Columbia, S.C., on Friday, Oct. 29 where the winner will claim the 2010 SEC title. Florida will be seeking its 11th title and South Carolina looks for its first SEC crown.
The Gators knew a win Sunday was vital to keep the SEC title goal in focus. Florida opened the scoring in the 15th minute off a corner kick. Junior Tahnai Annis sent the ball to the center of the six-yard box where it took a bounce. The ball came right to sophomore Holly King at the far post corner where she headed it in for her first goal of the season. Three of King’s four collegiate goals have come off of headers.
The goal was significant because the initial goal can impact the flow of the match, King said.
“It was really important. Whoever gets up first usually dictates the game. Tahnai had the corner kick . She kicked it perfectly and it bounced right to my head and I was able to finish it,” King said. “It feels great (to get her first goal of season). I’m always so close to getting one but never actually get it in so it was good to finally get one in.”
The Razorbacks scored the tying goal in the 54th minute when Kelsey Allison, from just below the center circle on the UF half, sent a diagonal ball to Ally Atkins making a run down the left sideline. Atkins brought the ball into the box and scored on an eight-yard shot.
The Gators’ go-ahead goal started with a cross from deep on the Arkansas right sideline that rocketed through the middle of the box. Annis tried to get a head on hit near the penalty area, but was unable to connect. The ball traveled on to Taylor Travis on the corner of the six-yard box. Travis tapped the ball up to Sarah Chapman, who was unmarked on the left side of the box. Chapman’s low left-footed shot from 15 yards scored at the far post corner. It was Chapman’s first goal of 2010.
“I was actually wide open in the midfield. I saw the ball cross over and the header. I got in position for Taylor. I didn’t know if Taylor was going to hit the ball – she could have taken a shot herself. I was literally asking for the set and she just gave it to me right away and I just hit it,” Chapman said. “It was a simple goal.”
A simple goal perhaps, but a key goal because it gave the Gators a lead they would not relinquish again.
Florida scored its third goal just under five minutes later. Natalia Torosian was inside the box with the ball and sent it left to Travis on the far side of the box. Travis immediately touched the ball to McKenzie Barney who used the side of her right foot to touch the ball in from 10 yards. Barney now is tied for first with Annis for the Gators’ lead in goals scored (10).
Although the Gators came away with the win, UF Head Coach Becky Burleigh was not entirely pleased with the team’s performance Sunday.
“It was a tough game to play because Arkansas was giving us a lot of time and unfortunately, we were taking it. We needed to push the pace a little bit more. It is always hard when you are playing against a set defense like that, where there are a lot of people behind the ball,” Burleigh said. “A bit unlucky at times – hit the crossbar a couple of times, the post once. Maybe if those go in it feels a little less frustrating. I was a little disappointed with how we came out in the second half.”
Florida travels to Columbia, S.C., to meet co-SEC leader South Carolina (14-3-2, 8-1-1 SEC) Friday, Oct. 29 in a match which will be televised on SUN Sports (Gainesville/Ocala Cox Cable channel 48 or 748). Match time is set for 7 p.m. at the Eugene E. Stone III Stadium. Sole possession of the title goes to the winner and if a tie occurs, the two teams will share the 2010 league title.
| Scoring Summary: | 1st | 2nd | Final |
| Arkansas | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Florida | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Scoring: | |||||||
| UF: Holly King (Tahnai Annis) 14:31 | |||||||
| ARK: Ally Atkins (Kelsey Allison) 53:35 | |||||||
| UF: Sarah Chapman (Taylor Travis) 62:58 | |||||||
| UF: McKenzie Barney (Travis, Natalia Torosian) 67:33 | |||||||
| | |||||||
| Goalkeepers: | |||||||
| | | Minutes | Saves | GA | |||
| Arkansas | Britni Williams | 90:00 | 1 | 3 | |||
| Florida | Katie Fraine | 90:00 | 3 | 1 | |||
| | | | | | |||
| Statistical Summary: | ARK | UF | | ||||
| Shots | 9 | 12 | | ||||
| Shots on goal | 4 | 5 | | ||||
| Saves | 2 | 3 | | ||||
| Corner Kicks | 3 | 5 | | ||||
| Fouls | 4 | 8 | | ||||
| Offside | 2 | 1 | | ||||
Cautions: None
