GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Southeastern Conference wins are the goal for both Florida soccer (4-5-6, 1-4-2 SEC) and its upcoming opponents as teams look to lock in a league tournament berth. The top 12 teams advance to Pensacola, Fla., for the SEC Tournament, which begins Sunday, Nov. 3.<https://www.secsports.com/championships/soccer-championship#schedule>
Current SEC Standing
Pts
Upcoming Opponents (SEC Standing/Points)
14. Florida
5
T11 Alabama (8), 15 Oklahoma (4), T11 Tennessee (8)
T11 Alabama
8
14 Florida (5), T6 Vanderbilt (12)
15 Oklahoma
4
16 Mississippi (1), 14 Florida (5)
Heading into this week’s action, teams with eight or more points would be those advancing to the SEC Tournament field. Of the league’s 16 teams, only Mississippi is mathematically eliminated from the SEC Tournament as the Rebels cannot reach eight points.
Florida is the only team among the current position 13-16 teams with three matches remaining. The league season for all but four teams ends on Oct. 27. Hurricane Helene caused these two Sept. 26 matches to be postponed:
Tennessee at Florida
Mississippi State at South Carolina
The Tennessee at Florida match will now be played Wed., Oct. 30 at 7 p.m..
About this weekend’s opponents:
* Alabama’s five ties in league play is the highest among the SEC teams. Kentucky’s 2-0 win on Oct. 4 is the Tide’s only home loss this season.
* Oklahoma enters its final weekend of league play on a four-match losing streak. Three of its league matches were decided by a single goal, including a 1-0 home loss to then No. 6 Arkansas on Oct. 13.
2024 Florida Season Stats<https://floridagators.com/sports/womens-soccer/stats>
at Alabama (8-4-5, 1-2-5 SEC)
Date: Thursday, Oct. 24
Time: 8 p.m. ET
Site: Alabama Soccer Stadium<https://rolltide.com/sports/2016/6/10/facilities-soccer-stadium-html> (1,500)
TV: SEC Network<https://www.espn.com/watch/player/_/id/8ee3727d-4c05-4b0d-bb19-c84fc7d1cb1b> +
StatBroadcast<https://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=531228&vislive=fla>
Admission: Free
Oklahoma (8-7-1, 1-6-1 SEC)
Date: Sunday, Oct. 27
Time: 4 p.m. ET
Site: Donald R. Dizney Stadium<https://floridagators.com/sports/2020/4/4/donald-r-dizney-stadium.aspx> (1,500)
Stream: SEC Network<https://www.espn.com/watch/player/_/id/4f9794b8-19f2-49f6-8ac7-bf5e48987d79> + with Kyle Crooks and Matthew Stubbington calling the action
Radio: ESPN Gainesville 98.1 FM/850 AM<https://floridagators.com/watch/?Live=5472&type=Archive> with Ryan Urquhart and Nevada Cullen calling the action
StatBroadcast<https://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=532028>
Admission: Free
Promotions: Gators appreciate the great support at The Diz this season. Sunday is Fan Appreciation Day and the first 500 fans receive a Gator soccer scarf! Fans can enter to win a soccer ball autographed by the 2024 Gators.
Florida Loses 2-0 to Vanderbilt
Florida lost 2-0 to Vanderbilt last Friday at Dizney Stadium.
Vanderbilt scored the opening goal in the 28th minute. UF goalkeeper Alexa Goldberg came off her line to try to stop a ball played into the middle of the Gator half. VU’s Ella Eggleston got a touch just before Goldberg and the deflection traveled across the top of the box. Eggleston followed the ball, with her next touch getting deflected to the far top corner of the box. She caught up with the ball again, scoring on a left-footed shot to the far corner.
The Commodores scored again in the 66th minute. Abi Brighton brought the ball into the box, moving around a defender to then send a cross that a lofted Mia Gonzalez one-touched in at the far post.
For the match, VU outshot the Gators 15-10.
* In goal, UF’s Goldberg made several high-flying saves. Goldberg’s 10 saves today trails only her career-high 13 saves she posted in the 2021 opener at South Florida.
About Alabama
Alabama turned in a 12-5-5 record in 2023 and was fourth in the Southeastern Conference with its 5-4-1-2 record. The Tide lost to North Carolina 1-0 in the NCAA Second Round.
Junior Gianna Paul’s 10 goals shares the Southeastern Conference lead. Senior Nedya Sawan is Alabama’s assist leader (4). Junior Ellie Lanyi has gotten the recent starts for the Tide in goal, with three shutouts in half of her appearances and owns a goals-against-average of 0.73.
Wes Hart is in his 10th season at Alabama.
About Oklahoma
Oklahoma is in its first season in the Southeastern Conference. The Sooners turned in a 8-10-2 record in 2023 and tied for ninth in the Big 12 with its 3-5-2 record. The Sooners’ 2023 season ended in the Big 12 Tournament quarterfinal round with a 6-0 loss to BYU.
Senior Leonie Weber leads the Sooners in all offensive categories – goals (6), assists (6) and points (18). Junior Caroline Duffy has started each match and owns a goals-against-average of 1.27.
Matt Mott is in his second season at Oklahoma after coaching 13 seasons at Mississippi.
