Goals
by four different Gators gave the University of Florida soccer team (6-3-1, 3-1
SEC) a 4-1 win over Georgia (5-5-1, 1-2-1 SEC) Sunday afternoon at the James G.
Pressly Stadium. It was the biggest offensive output by the Gators this season.
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Sunday’s SEC Scores
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Florida
4, Georgia 1
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Missouri
2, Vanderbilt 0
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Mississippi
1, Alabama 0
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Arkansas
1, South Carolina 1 2OT
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Kentucky
2, LSU 1 2OT
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Tennessee
6, Mississippi State 0
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Texas
A&M 2, Auburn 0
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After
a scoreless opening 45 minutes, the Gators clicked off four unanswered goals in
a 25-minute span, beginning when senior Holly King scored off a corner
kick in the 55th minute. The ball sent by sophomore Annie Speese to the
far post was headed in by King.
A
last-second adjustment led to the Gators first score.
“Annie
Speese was hitting a corner and my run was going to be center but the ball was
going further out,” King said. “I saw that the goalkeeper was on near post so I
headed it in far post.”
King
has used her head to score off a set piece now for three consecutive Sundays. She
headed in free kick goals versus New Mexico and at Auburn. It was her third
goal of the season, matching her career high set in 2009 and matched in 2011.
Another
Gator, Havana Solaun, scored her third goal of the season Sunday.
Freshman Claire Falknor was fighting with a pair of Bulldogs for control
of the ball at the six-yard box off the deflection of Adriana Leon’s
shot. Falknor pushed the ball into space where Maggie Rodgers quickly
played it to the top of the box. Solaun took the shot from 14 yards which
scored at the far post corner at 64:29.
“The
forwards were working really hard to keep it in front of the goal and Maggie
[Rodgers] kind of had the ball. I said to her ‘set, set,’ and she turned around
and I laid it off,” Solaun said. “I just tried to keep it low and put it into
the back corner.”
The
Gators were awarded their third penalty kick of the last four matches after the
Bulldogs were called for a handball in the box as they tried to clear a
Rodgers’ cross. Senior Jo Dragotta scored off the PK – the first goal of
her collegiate career.
Goal
scoring predictions is an amateur art among the Gators as they share among
themselves when they get a feeling about who is going to score. Dragotta got
those predictions, but it wasn’t until the second match of the weekend that
they proved prophetic.
“It
was really exciting. It is kind of funny because a couple people came up to me
before the Tennessee game and said they had a feeling I was going to score. And
then when I didn’t score I was like, ‘Dang it, I lost my chance,’” Dragotta
said. “Then our manager KeLeigh [Hudson] came up to me before this game and
said I was going to score. Then the PK happened and I was said I wanted to take
it.”
The
Gators got their final goal from sophomore Jillian Graff in the 79th
minute. From the end line, freshman Brooke Smith sent a low pass to
Graff, located at the corner of the six-yard box. Her shot hit the cross bar
and banged down into the goal. It was her second goal of the season.
Georgia’s
Tori Cooper broke up the shutout attempt when she scored from 12 yards in the
86th minute.
Execution
was the key today that allowed the Gators to be successful against the
Bulldogs’ high defensive line, Florida Head Coach Becky Burleigh said.
“It’s
not about motivation, it was really about execution. We didn’t really want to
get them fired up - we needed to get them to relax and execute,” Burleigh said.
“That’s the difference between this year and last year. I mean we’re not going
to work our way through this bunker. We’re going to be smart enough to play
through this bunker.
“The
goals were good goals; really good plays, smart decisions, good balls spread
across,” Burleigh continued. “We had some other opportunities that we failed to
finish but ultimately I think we created enough opportunities to get the goals
that we did get.”
Florida’s
starting goalkeeper, Taylor Burke, faced no shots on goal in her 79
minutes played. She was replaced by freshman Valerie Tysinger for the
final 11 minutes. Georgia senior Ashley Baker recorded four saves Sunday.
A
sprained left ankle suffered in Friday’s 2-1 win against Tennessee put senior
All-American Erika Tymrak on the sideline for today’s match. She joined
fellow senior All-American Kathryn Williamson who suffered a torn
meniscus Sept. 2 versus FIU. Both players were on the minds of those on the
field.
“Our
team stepped up a lot. Everyone stepped up their own role. Obviously, those
were big-time players that were missing but we have other players that are
perfectly capable of filling their positions,” Dragotta said. “It was a great
win for us today.”
Florida
finishes out September competition next weekend with a pair of home matches
versus SEC Western Division opponents. Mississippi (9-2, 2-2 SEC) faces Florida
Friday, Sept. 28 at 7 p.m. and then Arkansas (4-5-1, 1-2-1 SEC) comes to town
for a Sunday, Sept. 30 match set for 1 p.m. The Rebels posted a 1-0 win Sunday at
Alabama and Arkansas tied South Carolina 1-1 2OT.
Live streaming video of both matches is
available via GatorVision. The matches can also
be heard on ESPN 850/900, by simulcast on Cox
Channel 946 (Gainesville/Ocala) or on www.GatorZone.com with Adam Schick and
Matthew Stubbington calling the action.
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Scoring
Summary:
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1st
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2nd
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Final
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Georgia
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0
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1
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1
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Florida
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0
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4
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4
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Scoring:
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UF:
Holly King (Annie Speese) 54:30
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UF:
Havana Solaun (Maggie Rodgers) 64:29
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UF:
Jo Dragotta (PK) 68:37
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UF:
Jillian Graff (Brooke Smith) 78:56
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UGA:
Tori Cooper (Mackin D’amico) 85:59
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Goalkeepers:
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Minutes
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Saves
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GA
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Georgia
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Ashley
Baker
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90:00
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4
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4
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Florida
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Taylor
Burke
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78:56
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0
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0
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Valerie
Tysinger
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10:36
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0
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1
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Statistical
Summary:
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UGA
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UF
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Shots
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4
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17
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Shots
on goal
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1
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8
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Saves
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4
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0
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Fouls
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16
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17
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Corner
Kicks
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2
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5
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Offside
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1
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1
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Cautions:
Rebekah Perry, UGA/yellow (70:51)
