In four minutes’ time, the No. 6-ranked Gator soccer team used a blistering offensive attack en route to a 7-1 win over Mississippi State (7-5, 0-3 Southeastern Conference)
UF (9-1-1, 3-0 SEC) was just relieved to be home after not having a match at James G. Pressly Stadium in 28 days. The Gators’ match Friday, “Kicking for the Cure,” was meant to raise understanding on the opening day of breast cancer awareness month. Donning pink tie-dye shirts in pregame warmups, players gathered in mid-September to create the shirts and they were given to the first 400 fans. A crowd of 1,347 was on hand to welcome the team after its long home lay off.
| Friday’s SEC Scores | |||
| Away | Score | Home | Score |
| Mississippi | 0 | No. 20 South Carolina | 3 |
| Alabama | 0 | LSU | 0 2OT |
| Auburn | 3 | Arkansas | 2 |
| Kentucky | 1 | No. 17 Georgia | 1 2OT |
| Vanderbilt | 0 | Tennessee | 1 |
“What is it not like playing here?” said redshirt sophomore McKenzie Barney. “It’s such an honor to put on a show for (the fans). Love making them cheer.”
And the pink-clad fans saw plenty to cheer about. In the seventh minute, Taylor Travis — named SEC Freshman Soccer Player of the Week — received a ball from Barney, but was tripped up and failed to convert. The ball dribbled dangerously to Erika Tymrak, but Bulldog keeper Skylar Rosson managed the save.
Then the clock struck nine minutes and the next 240 seconds saw the Gators use five shots to build a 3-0 lead.
In the 10th minute, Travis found an open Nicky Kit speeding down the left side. Kit seemingly tapped the ball to Barney at the foot of the keeper’s box, but she dummied it and let the ball drift, untouched, to Tymrak who was waiting in the box. It was Tymrak’s third goal of the season and second consecutive Friday night match with a goal.
In the 13th minute, Tahnai Annis shook her defender and attempted a shot that was deflected right into Barney’s eager feet. Barney chipped it in for her eighth goal this season. She also set the UF record for consecutive home appearances with a goal (eight). The previous record (7) was shared by Gator All-Americans Abby Wambach (2001) and Sarah Yohe (1999).
“A lot of people reminded me (of Wambach’s record),” Barney said. “I didn’t necessarily like the pressure too much but going out we just focused on having fun. Right away, I just forgot about it.”
In the 14th minute, Annis was fed the ball from Tymrak and snuck the ball past Rosson’s outstretched hands from 10 yards out.
In the 23rd minute MSU’s Elisabeth Sullivan attempted a penalty kick — the first against UF this year. Goalkeeper Katie Fraine dove to her left and deflected the ball. Mississippi State’s Kim Pettit got to the deflection and slid a shot to the far post, just quick enough that Fraine was unable to get back to it.
“It was a great save by Fraine,” coach Becky Burleigh said. “I was disappointed that she gave up a goal there, because it was a terrific save. We practice PKs all the time.”
Coming into the match, Florida ranked No. 1 in the conference in goals allowed with a measly five through 10 matches.
In the 45th minute, Sullivan attempted a 23-yard lob shot aimed at the highest point of the net that Fraine punched out.
Even with the PK goal allowed, UF kept its foot on the gas and scored four goals in the second half. The Gators poured on a pair of goals in another quick offensive burst to start the second period.
Freshman Caroline Triglia scored her first collegiate goal in the 49th minute with a left-to-right blast from 7 yards out.
In the 50th minute, Lindsay Thompson headed in a feed from Tymrak. It was Tymrak’s third assist in the match and second consecutively. Kit was also credited with the assist.
In the 68th minute, Jo Dragotta missed a shot off the left post, but Thompson chipped in the rebound from 5 yards out. For Thompson, it was her third multi-goal match of her Gator career.
Annis added her second goal of the match in the 89th minute on a Haley Reeb assist to make it 7-1. She also scored twice in the Gators’ 2-0 win at then No. 25 UCF in the opening weekend of the season and now has three double-goal matches as a Gator.
The seven goals scored are the most this season and is the highest offensive output since UF also scored seven versus Jacksonville in 2006.
“Good teams are relentless,” Burleigh said. “That’s what we keep preaching: we want to be a relentless team and continue to go after it, regardless of the score.”
Florida continues league home action when it faces Mississippi (5-6-1, 1-2-0 SEC) on Sunday, Oct. 3. Match time is set for 1:30 p.m. at the James G. Pressly Stadium. The Rebels were the only team to defeat Florida in 2009 league action, taking a 3-2 2OT win in Oxford. In Friday night’s action, Mississippi lost 3-0 at No. 20 South Carolina. A coupon for a free soda at Sunday’s match can be found on Gatorzone.com – the first 500 fans which present the coupon at the concession stand receive a complimentary soda.
Sunday’s match can be heard on WRUF SportsRadio 850, by simulcast on Cox Channel 946 (Gainesville/Ocala) or on www.GatorZone.com with Adam Schick and Matthew Stubbington covering the action. Live, streaming video is available on GatorVision Online – check out the GatorVision on www.GatorZone.com for complete information.
| Scoring Summary: | 1st | 2nd | Final |
| Mississippi State | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Florida | 3 | 4 | 7 |
| Scoring: | |||||||
| UF: Erika Tymrak (Nicky Kit, Taylor Travis) 9:42 | |||||||
| UF: McKenzie Barney (Tahnai Annis) 12:07 | |||||||
| UF: Annis (Tymrak) 13:38 | |||||||
| MSU: Kim Pettit 22:43 | |||||||
| UF: Caroline Triglia (Tymark) 48:11 | |||||||
| UF: Lindsay Thompson (Kit, Tymrak) 49:38 | |||||||
| UF: Thompson (Jo Dragotta) 67:40 | |||||||
| UF: Annis (Haley Reeb) 88:21 | |||||||
| | |||||||
| Goalkeepers: | |||||||
| | | Minutes | Saves | GA | |||
| MSU | Skylar Rosson | 60:26 | 8 | 5 | |||
| | Abby Risner | 29:34 | 4 | 2 | |||
| Florida | Katie Fraine | 52:32 | 3 | 1 | |||
| | Brooke Chancey | 37:28 | 2 | 0 | |||
| | | | | | |||
| Statistical Summary: | MSU | UF | |||||
| Shots | 8 | 31 | |||||
| Shots on goal | 6 | 19 | |||||
| Saves | 12 | 5 | |||||
| Corner Kicks | 5 | 10 | |||||
| Fouls | 4 | 9 | |||||
| Offside | 1 | 0 | |||||
