No. 11 Florida begins hunt for SEC Soccer Tournament title Wednesday versus Mississippi

The No. 11 University of Florida soccer team (14-4-1, 11-2 SEC) faces Mississippi (13-8, 5-8 SEC) Wednesday in the Gators’ opening match of the Southeastern Conference Tournament. Match time is set for 6 p.m. ET at the Orange Beach Sportsplex in Orange Beach, Ala.

Wednesday’s Match Information:

No. 11 Florida (14-4-1, 11-2 SEC) versus Mississippi (13-8, 5-8 SEC) Date & Time: Oct. 31, 2012 @ 6 p.m. ET Site: Orange Beach Sportsplex (1,500) The Coaches: Becky Burleigh, 18th season @ UF (396-107-33/23rd season overall – 314-84-27/UF), Matthew Mott (28-27-5/third season overall and at UM) Television: none Radio: ESPN 850/900 Streaming video: all SEC Tournament action on Monday and Wednesday will stream live on SEC Digital Network Internet: live stats and audio for UF-UM match available on www.GatorZone.com Admission:  $5 for adults and $2 for youth – contact the Orange Beach SportsPlex at 251-981-6039 for more information

Florida enters SEC Tournament play as the top seed after claiming its 12th league title with an 11-2 regular-season record. With the addition of Missouri and Texas A&M to the SEC this season, the league tournament also expanded a day. The Rebels won a 1-0 decision over LSU in Monday’s play-in match to advance to the tournament’s eight-team bracket.

When the two teams met for their regular-season match on Sept. 28 in Gainesville, three different Gators scored in Florida’s 3-1 win. Sophomore Havana Solaun put the Gators on the board in the 15th minute when she scored off the cross from Taylor Travis. Fellow sophomore Jillian Graff, making her first start of the season, scored for the second consecutive match with her goal in the 51st minute. The Rebels narrowed the lead to a single goal with their strike in the 54th minute but junior Caroline Triglia gave the Gators some breathing room when she volleyed in the deflection off her shot in the 75th minute.

Gator seniors Tymrak and Holly King picked up SEC Player of the Year honors when the league office announced the season’s awards Monday afternoon. Tymrak is the first Gator to be named SEC Offensive Player of the Year since the league began naming an Offensive and Defensive honoree in 2005. King is the SEC Defensive Player of the Year and is the third Gator to earn the honor since 2009. Joining the pair on the All-SEC first team is fellow senior Jo Dragotta. Center back Christen Westphal is part of both the All-SEC second and Freshman teams. 

Although Florida leads all league teams with nine SEC Tournament titles, only the 2007 and 2010 titles came at the Orange Beach SportsPlex. Eight of the last nine SEC Tournaments have been held in Orange Beach, Ala. The Gators advanced to the tournament final five times in Orange Beach, with Tennessee taking a penalty kick decision after the two teams tied 1-1 20T in the 2003 final and the Gators lost 2-1 to Kentucky in the 2006 final. In the 2011 final, Florida lost 3-2 to Auburn. The Gators hoisted the SEC Tournament trophy in 2007 (4-1 versus Georgia) and 2010 (1-0 versus South Carolina). Florida has advanced to the SEC Tournament final 13 of its 17 SEC Tournament appearances.

In Florida’s last match, the Gators went to the regular-season finale at South Carolina needing a win to ensure the 2012 SEC title would return to Gainesville. After a scoreless opening half, the Gators turned in three goals to claim the title with a 3-0 win. Junior Adriana Leon started the Gator scoring, executing on the “go” end of a give-and-go with Tymrak. Leon’s left-footed goal from seven yards was her fourth of the year. Sophomore Annie Speese turned in her fourth double-goal match of her career and first of the year, scoring in the 73^rd and 87^th minutes. She placed in the deflection off a Travis cross for her first score and then scored off a ball from an end line run by Tessa Andujar to finish UF’s scoring.

Seniors McKenzie Barney and Dragotta lead the Gators with six goals each. Tymrak tops the Gators’ points chart with 17. Dragotta now owns six career goals – all scored this season and within the span of the last 10 matches. Tymrak’s 91 points place her seventh on Florida’s career chart while Barney is eighth at 72.

Mississippi lost its final three matches of the SEC season all by one goal decisions, including a 3-2 overtime loss to LSU. Juniors Rafaelle Souza and Mandy McCalla lead the league with 13 goals each. Souza tops the SEC with 33 points and McCalla is close behind at 31. Both were named to the 2012 All-SEC second team and Souza shared the SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year honor. It was Souza’s goal with just 43 seconds remaining in regulation which advanced Mississippi to Wednesday’s match as the Rebels defeated LSU 1-0 Monday in Orange Beach.

Elam Named Jim Thorpe Award Semifinalist

University of Florida junior defensive back Matt Elam (Palm Beach Gardens) has been named one of 15 semifinalists for the Jim Thorpe Award, announced by the association on Monday.

It’s the second award list Elam has been named a semifinalist for on Monday, as he was also named a Bednarik Award semifinalist earlier in the day.  The Jim Thorpe Award is awarded to the top defensive back in college football. 

This season for the Orange and Blue, Elam has 41 tackles, including 4.0 tackles for loss, a sack, two interceptions, two pass breakups and a forced fumble.  His 41 tackles are the third-best total for the Orange and Blue this season and his two interceptions ties for a team-high with Jaylen Watkins.  

The three Thorpe Award finalists will be named on Monday, Nov. 19^th and the winner will be announced at the Home Depot College Football Awards Show on Dec. 6^th airing on ESPN.  The winner of the 2012 Thorpe Award will be honored at a banquet in Oklahoma City on Feb. 5, 2013. 

Jim Thorpe Award Semifinalist

Johnthan Banks, Sr. Mississippi State

Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, So. Oregon
Matt Elam, Jr. Florida
Tony Jefferson, Jr., Oklahoma
Nigel Malone, Sr., Kansas State
Dexter McCoil, Sr., Tulsa
T.J. McDonald, Sr., USC
Dee Milliner, Jr., Alabama
Zeke Motta, Sr., Notre Dame
Jordan Poyer, Sr., Oregon State
Eric Reid, Jr., LSU
Xavier Rhodes, Jr., Florida State
Bradley Roby, Soph., Ohio State
Logan Ryan, Jr., Rutgers
Phillip Thomas, Sr., Fresno State

Missouri At Florida Game Set For 12 p.m. On ESPN2

The start time for the No. 8/8 Gator football team's (7-1/6-1 SEC) game against Missouri (4-4/1-4 SEC) at The Swamp on Nov. 3 will be at 12 p.m. and the game will be broadcast nationally on ESPN2.

SEC Football Games On Saturday, Nov. 3

Texas A&M at Mississippi State – 12 p.m. – ESPN

Missouri at FLORIDA – 12 p.m. – ESPN2

Vanderbilt at Kentucky – 12 p.m. – ESPNU

Troy at Tennessee – 12 p.m. – FSN

Tulsa at Arkansas – 12:21 p.m. – SEC Network

New Mexico State at Auburn – 12:30 p.m. – CSS

Ole Miss at Georgia – 3:30 p.m. – CBS Sports

Alabama at LSU – 8 p.m. – CBS Sports

Gators Ranked No. 8 in Associated Press and USA Today Weekly Polls

In their first loss of the season, Florida fell to Georgia, 17-9. The Gators dropped to No. 8 in the Associated Press and No. 8 in the USA Today Coaches Poll. Last week Florida was ranked No. 3 in the Associated Press Poll and the USA Today Coaches’ Poll. UF (7-1, 6-1 SEC) will face SEC newcomer Missouri (4-4, 1-4 SEC) on Saturday, November 3 in The Swamp. It will be the Gators’ first of three-straight home games.

There are seven teams from the SEC currently ranked in the polls. Among the four teams remaining on Florida’s schedule, the Gators will face two teams present in rankings: No. 9 Florida State (Nov. 24 in Tallahassee).

Associated Press Top 25 Poll					USA Today Top 25 Coaches’ Poll
RK	TEAM	RECORD	PTS		RK	TEAM	RECORD	PTS
1.	Alabama (60)	8-0	1500		1.	Alabama (59)	8-0	1475
2.	Oregon	8-0	1412		2.	Oregon	8-0	1391
3.	Kansas State	8-0	1382		3.	Kansas State	8-0	1366
4.	Notre Dame	8-0	1344		4.	Notre Dame	8-0	1307
5.	LSU	7-1	1216		5.	LSU	7-1	1225
6.	Ohio St.	9-0	1158		6.	Georgia	7-1	1149
7.	Georgia	7-1	1145		7.	Florida State	8-1	1121
8.	FLORIDA	7-1	1075		8.	FLORIDA	7-1	1024
9.	Florida State	8-1	1046		9.	Clemson	7-1	976
10.	Clemson	7-1	914		10.	Louisville	8-0	888
11.	South Carolina	7-2	823		11.	South Carolina	7-2	838
12.	Louisville	8-0	817		12.	Oklahoma	5-2	758
13.	Oregon State	6-1	762		13.	Oregon State	6-1	684
14.	Oklahoma	5-2	758		14.	Boise State	7-1	634
15.	Stanford	6-2	627		15.	Stanford	6-2	626
16.	Texas A&M	6-2	580		16.	Texas A&M	6-2	592
17.	Mississippi State	7-1	559		17.	USC	6-2	583
18.	USC	6-2	418		18.	Mississippi State	7-1	569
19.	Boise State	7-1	406		19.	West Virginia	5-2	326
20.	Texas Tech	6-2	388		20.	Texas Tech	6-2	284
21.	Nebraska	6-2	249		21.	Nebraska	6-2	283
22.	Louisiana Tech	7-1	209		22.	Texas	6-2	200
23.	West Virginia	5-2	126		23.	Louisiana Tech	7-1	191
24.	Arizona	5-3	106		24.	Oklahoma State	5-2	166
25.	UCLA	6-2	103		25.	Rutgers	7-1	151

Gators Come Up Short in Jacksonville, Fall to Georgia, 17-9

JACKSONVILLE, Fla – In a showdown of the SEC East’s top two teams, Florida couldn’t overcome six turnovers and Georgia’s defensive pressure, as the Gators fell from the ranks of the unbeaten dropping a 17-9 decision at EverBank Field Saturday. 

With the win, Georgia now controls its destiny in the SEC East with a home game with Ole Miss and a road trip to Auburn remaining. Florida wraps up SEC play with Missouri in the Swamp next week.

Aaron Murray hit Malcolm Mitchell with a 45-yard touchdown with 7:11 to go to extend Georgia’s one-point lead to 17-9. The Gators (7-1, 6-1) drove all the way to the Georgia (7-1, 5-1) 18-yard line where Jeff Driskel hit Jordan Reed with a pass over the middle but Jarvis Jones pried the ball from Reed and the Bulldogs recovered in the end zone with 2:05 remaining and run out the clock.   

Todd Gurley scored an early 10-yard touchdown run for Georgia to go along with a 29-yard field goal by Marshall Morgan and Caleb Sturgis while three field goals for Florida.

But the game was decided by the Gators’ inability to do the one thing they’ve done so well all year – protect the ball, as they turned it over six times, three in each half, after having only four turnovers in seven games entering the contest.

A week ago it was the Gators making the first impact play, forcing a turnover on the first play of the game. Saturday it was Georgia that made the first major play of the game.

After the Gators received the opening kick off, Jeff Driskel was sacked by Damian Swann on the game’s third play and the Jarvis Jones pounced on the ball setting up Georgia at the Florida 20 yard line. Three plays later Gurley scampered in from 10 yards out to give Georgia a 7-0 lead with 12:02 left in the first quarter.

A celebration penalty on Gurley on the touchdown gave the Gators a better opportunity for a return and Andre Debose took the ensuing kick to Florida 43 yard line. The Gators marched all the way to the Georgia 36-yard line where facing a fourth-and-1, head coach Will Muschamp opted to go for the first down rather than a long Sturgis field goal due to the windy conditions. The Gators tried a jet sweep with Solomon Patton around the left side of the line, but Patton was ripped down right at the marker, was stopped short, and injured on the play.

Then began a series of turnovers with both teams struggling to find an offensive rhythm.
Georgia quarterback Murray’s pass over the middle was tipped and wound up in Neiron Ball’s hands. Driskel was then sacked by Jones and fumbled for the third time on the day, the second resulting in a turnover. As Georgia looked like it was poised to add to its lead, marching the Florida 8-yard line and facing a third down, Murray was once again picked up, this time by Josh Evans and once again the result of a deflected pass.

Following the Evans interception, however, the Gators were finally to sustain a drive and marched 70 yards on 15 plays to finally get on the board with a 38-yard field goal from Sturgis with 7:03 left in the first half. The Gators converted 3-of-4 third downs on the drive, including a 14-yard pass from Driskel to Trey Burton and a 12-yard pass to Quinton Dunbar to extend the drive.

Facing a third-and-15 at the Georgia 21, however, Driskel’s arm was hit as he threw and the drive stalled and the Gators settled for the Sturgis field goal.

On the following drive the Gators picked off Murray for the third time on the afternoon, this time by Matt Elam who took advantage of an overthrow. Elam returned the pick to the Georgia 11-yard line. Unable to punch the ball in, the Gators got a 22-yard field goal from Sturgis with 2:43 left in the half to cut the lead to 7-6.

The Gators were poised to take the lead late in the half, mounting a 55-yard drive in the closing minute that gave UF a first-and-goal at the Georgia 5-yard line. Driskel, however, was intercepted in the end zone of the half’s final play negating a chance for the Gators to go to the locker room with a lead. Driskel rolled out to the right and looked as if he would throw the ball away but took a shot into the end zone and Bacarri Rambo intercepted the pass ending the threat.

Early in the second half Driskel was intercepted for a second time as he was hit as he threw and Swann intercepted the pass at the 40 and returned it to the Florida 25. After getting as close as the 12-yard line, Florida’s defense buckled down and forced a 29-yard field goal from Marshall Morgan to make it 10-6 early in the third quarter.

On the following drive, looking for an offensive spark, Trey Burton lined up under center in the Wildcat formation but lost control of the ball, fumbled and Georgia recovered at the Florida 26. The Gator defense stood strong once again, forcing a 37-yard field goal attempt from Morgan that sailed wide left and the game remain 10-6.

In the fourth quarter Florida’s defense forced a punt from deep in Georgia territory setting the Gators up at the Bulldogs’ 43 yard line. On the first play Driskel darted for 20 yards down to the 23 yard line. A substitution violation and a sack, however, backed the Gators up setting up a 50-yard field goal attempt that Sturgis nailed with 9:41 to go to make it a 10-9 game.

The Gators appeared to seize momentum in the game and were poised to get the ball back after a defensive stop on the ensuing drive. A defensive holding penalty on Dominique Easley extended the drive, however, and Murray got hot, ultimately connecting with Mitchell on the 45-yard strike with 7:11 to go to put the Bulldogs up 17-9.

Then came the Gators’ final drive. Driskel hit Reed with a 15-yard gain to the Georgia 48-yard line. Facing a second-and-six at the Georgia 18-yard line the tandem connected again, but Reed was stripped on the ball, the Bulldogs recovered and closed out the game.

Georgia finished with 273 yards of offense, 150 passing and 123 rushing. More telling, after turning the ball over three times in the first half, they had none in the second half. Gurley pounded his way to 118 yards on 27 carries. Murray was 12-of-24 passing for 150 yards and a touchdown to go along with three first half interceptions.  

Florida finished with 266 yards of offense, 185 passing and 81 rushing. Driskel was 14-of-26 for 185 yards and two interceptions. Gillislee finished with 77 yards on 22 carries.

The Gators return home next week when Missouri makes its first appearance to the Swamp as a member of the SEC in the final SEC game of the year for Florida.

Women's cross country wins SEC title

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — For the third time in the last four years — and the sixth time overall — the Gator women’s cross country squad brought the SEC title back to Gainesville.

After winning back-to-back titles in 2009 and 2010, the Gators struck again this year for their sixth SEC title (’84, ’96, ’97, ’09, ’10, ’12) in women’s program history, the second-most for an SEC women’s cross country squad. The UF’s men’s squad turned in a fifth-place showing at the meet for the program’s 16th straight top-five SEC finish.

Six Gators ran lifetime best 6K marks and all five scorers turned in top-25 finishes to lead the women to the 2012 SEC Title at Percy Warner Park in Nashville, including second-place finisher Florence Ngetich, who clocked in at 20:27.41 for the sixth-fastest time in Florida history as the Gators’ highest finisher in the women’s field of 124 athletes.

The Gators turned in a score of 61 points, while Arkansas (70) and Vanderbilt (119) rounded out the top three women’s team scores. On the men’s side, Arkansas claimed its 20th league title (35), Georgia finished second (73), SEC newcomers Missouri (80) and Texas A&M (80) tied for third, while Florida checked in fifth with 121 points.

Seven UF runners picked up All-SEC and SEC All-Freshman honors on the afternoon, led by junior Mark Parrish’s All-SEC First Team honor, while both Ngetich and junior Agata Strausa led the way on the women’s All-SEC First Team. Senior Callie Cooper earned All-SEC Second Team accolades, while three freshmen in Shelby Davidson, Julie Macedo and Phil Duncan earned their first All-SEC accolades as members of the SEC All-Freshman squads.

On the men’s side, Parrish turned in the Gators’ highest finish in seventh, clocking a 24:06.09 to lead the way.

Swimming: At Columbia, S.C., the Florida swimming and diving teams defeated South Carolina in their second dual meet in two days on Friday.

Florida’s No. 1 ranked men’s team won 166-128 and the women’s team took the win 176-119. It was the Gators’ second SEC dual meet of the season as the men improved to 2-0 and the women are 1-1.

The diving events went first, with freshman Emily Mosher finishing second on the three-meter board and third on the one-meter. Freshman Delaney Dye also scored as she was third on the three-meter and fifth on the one-meter.

On the men’s side, junior Christopher Jones finished third on the three-meter, sophomore Zach Hernandez was fourth and senior Sean Saley came in fifth. Saley led the way with a third-place finish on the one-meter, followed by Jones and fourth and Hernandez in fifth.

Florida had a strong showing in the distance freestyle events. Junior Alicia Mathieu won both the 1000 and 500 for the women. Mathieu finished the 1000 in a time of 10:00.75 and the 500 in 4:54.79. Sophomore Molly Dubrasky grabbed second for UF in the 1,000 free with a time of 10:10.59. Freshman Ashlee Linn and sophomore Jordan Smith completed the sweep in the 500 free, finishing second (4:56.54) and third (5:00.06) respectively.

The men swept the top three spots in both the 1,000 and 500 free. Freshman Arthur Frayler earned his first win, touching first in a time of 9:11.96 in the 1000 free. Sophomore Carlos Omana and junior Conor Signorin rounded out the top three with times of 9:13.96 and 9:19.59 respectively. In the 500 free, sophomore Dan Wallace took the win, Frayler finished second and Signorin was third.

In another sweep, junior Elizabeth Beisel won the 200 free in a time of 1:48.07 and just behind her was freshman Jessica Theilmann in second and junior Kaitlin Frehling in third.

The Gators’ tallied wins in all the backstroke events as freshman Natalie Hinds swam her way to wins in the 100 backstroke (55.86) and the 200 backstroke (2:02.16) and junior Marcin Cieslak won both with a 49.71 in the 100 back and 1:49.96 in the 200.

Linn also grabbed two individual victories, touching in at 2:04.30 in the 200 IM and 24.00 in the 50 freestyle. Also collecting two wins on the afternoon was senior Jamie Bohunicky, who won the 200 butterfly in a time of 2:03.03 and the 100 free finishing in 51.01.

Junior Hilda Luthersdottir and sophomore Matt Elliott took the top spots in the 100 breast, with Luthersdottir finishing in 1:03.28 to win the women’s and Elliott won in 56.02. With his third event win in two days, freshman Pawel Werner won the 100 butterfly in a time of 49.20.

Coming in first for the men in the 200 free was junior Sebastien Rousseau, who finished in a time of 1:37.72. Junior Brad deBorde won his second-straight 50 free, finishing in a time of 20.58. Wallace had his second win of the day when he finished the 200 butterfly in 1:47.75 and Beisel added a second win with a first place finish in the 200 breaststroke (2:15.65).

Wiggs sets record as UF volleyball sweeps MSU

Friday's Southeastern Conference match between league-leader Florida and cellar-dweller Mississippi State went as one would expect, with the 11th-ranked Gators sweeping the Bulldogs, 25-11, 25-8, 25-11, in a matter of an hour and 11 minutes.

As it turned out, the O'Connell Center crowd of 1,770 witnessed history.

Redshirt senior right-side hitter Tangerine Wiggs set a UF school record with a .929 hitting percentage, breaking Benavia Jenkins' previous all-time mark of .923 set against Central Florida in 2002.

“Not too shabby,” said UF coach Mary Wise. “Not too shabby at all.”

Wiggs deferred to take total credit.

“My hitting percentage is solely a reflection of my passers and my setter,” she said. “I am blessed to have a really great setter in Taylor Brauneis. She does a really great job of distributing the ball and getting me good looks, and our passers do a great job. I think I have the easy job.”

Wiggs entered the match ranked second in the SEC with a .385 hitting mark, trailing only teammate and middle blocker Chloe Mann's league-leading percentage of .455.

While Mann, a redshirt junior and former Eastside standout, certainly did her part, hitting .727 with eight kills and no errors in 11 attempts, Wiggs was unstoppable. She finished with a match-high 13 kills on 14 swings without an error.

The win, which came 48 hours after UF had its 14-match winning streak stopped by No. 12 FSU in Tallahassee, improved the Gators to 18-3 overall and kept them perfect (12-0) in SEC play.

“After losing Wednesday to Florida State, we just came back and regrouped and made sure we were playing Florida volleyball every match,” Wiggs said. “I thought we did a great job of that tonight, focusing on our side of the net and things we can control and ways we can improve.”

Offensively, the Gators recorded 36 kills with only six errors in 66 attempts for a .455 team hitting mark, while defensively, they totaled 10 blocks, with freshman outside hitters Gabby Mallette and Ziva Recek each picking up two solos and Mann adding a match-high four assists.

UF held the Bulldogs (4-17, 0-12), who lost their 13th match in a row, to a hitting percentage of minus-.141.

“We just worked really hard in practice to take care of the little things,” Mann said. “We executed at a really high level. I'm really proud of our team and the way we came out today focused, especially coming after a loss.”

The Gators do not play again until they host Georgia and defending SEC champ Tennessee in a pair of key SEC matches next weekend.

“The schedule really helps us now, in terms of being a little banged up, to have Sunday off,” Wise said. “Georgia is arguably the most improved team in the league and Tennessee was the preseason favorite. It's a huge weekend.”

Meanwhile, the injury news concerning redshirt senior Betsy Smith, who injured her right ankle against FSU and did not dress out for Friday's match, is encouraging.

“We're sometime away, but it could have been worse,” Wise said. “At least it wasn't broken.”