GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The final double Southeastern Conference match week of regular-season action is next for Gator soccer. Action opens Thursday with the Gators’ Kickin’ for the Cure match versus Vanderbilt and then UF heads to No. 3 Alabama for a Sunday evening match.
Thursday, Oct. 20 versus Vanderbilt
* Time/Site: 6 p.m. at Donald R. Dizney Stadium<https://floridagators.com/sports/2020/4/4/donald-r-dizney-stadium.aspx> (1,500)
* SEC Network +<https://www.espn.com/watch/player/_/id/960cf2cd-9e9c-4497-be35-ce57bfd47faa>
* Live Stats<http://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=411579>
* Tickets: Free
* Promotion: 200 pink rally towels to cheer the Gators and show support for fight against breast cancer.
Sunday, Oct. 23 at No. 3 Alabama
* Time/Site: 7 p.m. ET at Alabama Soccer Stadium<https://rolltide.com/sports/2016/6/10/facilities-soccer-stadium-html.aspx> (1,500)
* SEC Network +<https://www.espn.com/watch/player/_/id/329b8eea-79e8-438c-9e2b-23e1691a66e1>
* Live Stats<http://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=410894&vislive=fla>
* Tickets: Free
Records:
Florida: 2-11-1, 0-6-1 SEC
Vanderbilt: 9-2-3, 3-2-2 SEC
No. 3 Alabama: 14-1-1, 7-0 SEC
Thursday versus Vanderbilt
Vanderbilt comes to Gainesville after Friday’s 2-1 win over then No. 24 South Carolina. It was VU’s second consecutive meeting versus a ranked team, as the Commodores lost 3-0 at then No. 9 Arkansas on Oct. 9.
VU’s Raegan Kelley is tied for fourth among SEC players with 20 points off of six goals
Series Record: Florida leads 28-4-3. Last meeting, Florida advanced on penalty kicks in the opening round of 2021 SEC Tournament action on Halloween.
Sunday at No. 3 Alabama
Florida meets its top ranked opponent of 2022 Sunday at league leader and No. 3 Alabama. Alabama has a five-point lead in the league standings through seven matches. If the Tide wins Thursday at Mississippi State, Alabama will try to secure its first SEC soccer title Sunday with a win or tie over Florida.
Alabama’s Riley Mattingly Parker shares second in the league with 24 points off 11 goals and two points. Her 11 goals is tied for 10th among NCAA Division I players. The Tide’s McKinley Crone’s 0.67 goals-against-average in No. T39 in the nation.
Series Record: Florida leads 21-1-3. Last meeting, Florida won 2-1 in Gainesville on Oct. 4, 2020
Last Time Out:
Florida and Kentucky tied 1-all Sunday on a drippy Lexington afternoon. Junior Delaney Tauzel’s left-footed touch on the ball sent into the middle of the box off Julianne Leskauskas’ free kick gave UF the lead in the 34th minute. The Kats tied the match in the 80th minute with the goal by Madison Jones.
It was the first tie for either team since overtime was eliminated this season for NCAA regular-season play. The result was typical of recent UF-UK matches, as UF won the last two in overtime and tied on Sunday.
