GAINESVILLE, Fla -Florida soccer dropped a 2-1 decision to South Carolina Thursday at the Donald R. Dizney Stadium to close Southeastern Conference regular-season play.
Florida advances to the SEC Tournament in Orange Beach, Ala., as the No. 10 seed. The Gators faced Vanderbilt in Sunday’s opening round. UF and Vanderbilt played to a scoreless tie when they met on Sept. 17 in Nashville to open SEC regular-season action.
Thursday’s Scoring:
A trio of Gator seniors combined for the first goal of the match. The play started with a free kick. The ball pinged around the top of the box before Georgia Eaton-Collin sent it forward. Kit Loferski touched ball with her raised heel into open space for Madison Alexander. Her left-footed touch scored at the far post for Alexander’s fourth goal of the last five matches.
The Gamecocks tied it up in the 33rd minute. Ryan Gareis received the ball just above the box and then took a couple of diagonal touches before hitting a shot to the far post.
The game-winner started when a cross was sent to the middle of the box. After some touches as the teams looked to gain control, Claire Griffiths tapped it forward into space. Catherine Barry’s right footed swipe put it in at the near post at 76:22.
2021 Records:
Florida (4-11-3, 3-6-1 SEC)
USC (11-5-1, 6-3-1 SEC)
Series Records:
Florida leads 22-11-2
What Tony Amato Said:
On tonight’s performance:
“I thought it was our best performance of the season. Visually just watching it live, I was really proud of our team. I thought we played really well. The energy, the approach to the game, our mentality, our attitude, our work rate, and then how we executed from our backs into our midfield into our forwards – I thought we created chances and we defended well. Credit to South Carolina, they left no doubt on the two mistakes we made in terms of their finishing.
“But I’ll be honest, I’m gutted for our players because I thought they did a lot in the game. The game result could have been different and it just didn’t happen tonight. But overall, you know, if we just look at the game tonight and you only focus on the performance, we were pleased with how we played.” – Florida Head Coach Tony Amato
Madison Alexander and Kit Loferski combined to score again.
“Obviously Kit drifts out to the right and is really dangerous out there with her pace and her ability to serve balls in the box. And then we’ve asked our forwards like Madi to get in the box. We’ve had numbers in the box and Kit’s delivered balls in there. Madi’s done a good job of getting on the end of them in the last couple games.” – Florida Head Coach Tony Amato
Final home match, but possibly more play next week in Orange Beach?
“Well, I think they’re feeling like we have more games in us and more games to play. I know they cherish playing here at home. But I think their approach tonight was that we’re going to get in the SEC Tournament, find a way to still perform well and make a little run. So although this is their last game here, we feel like we have more games in us.” – Florida Head Coach Tony Amato
Next Up:
The Gators will play Vanderbilt in the SEC Tournament’s opening round on Halloween at 2 p.m. ET at the Orange Beach Sportsplex in Orange Beach, Ala.
All nine matches of the SEC Tournament air live on the SEC Network.
USC (11-5-1, 6-3-1 SEC) at Florida (4-11-3, 3-6-1 SEC)
Stadium: Donald R. Dizney Stadium (351)
Weather: 74 degrees, SW winds at 12 mph, 91% humidity, on/off showers
Goals
1
2
Final
USC
1
1
2
Florida
1
0
1
Scoring:
1.
17:18
UF
Madison Alexander
Kit Loferski
2.
36:36
USC
Ryan Gareis
Samantha Chang, Claire Griffiths
3.
76:22
USC
Catherine Barry
Claire Griffiths
Shots: USC 11, Florida 11
Saves: USC 3 (Heather Hinz 3), Florida 3 (Alexa Goldberg 3)
Offsides: USC 1, UF 1
Cautions: Remi Swartz, USC – yellow (60:08), Kit Loferski, UF – yellow (80:54), UF Bench -yellow (89.42)
