GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Florida and No. 3 Florida State soccer meet for the 30th time in the all-time series Sunday for a match airing on the SEC Network.
* Florida State is the defending NCAA champion and is the Gators first ranked opponent this season (No. 3 on United Soccer Coaches poll).
* For the second consecutive year, both teams come into this annual meeting unbeaten as Florida is 2-0-3 and Florida State is 4-0-1.
Sunday, Sept. 8 versus No. 3 Florida State
Date: Sunday, Sept. 8
Time: 2 p.m. ET
Site: Donald R. Dizney Stadium<https://floridagators.com/sports/2020/4/4/donald-r-dizney-stadium.aspx>
Television: SEC Network <https://www.espn.com/watch/player/_/id/78530bc9-d7ee-49c1-8fec-e00efde3de42> with Alex Perlman and Marion Crowder calling the action
Radio: FloridaGators.com<https://floridagators.com/watch/?Live=5466&type=Archive> with Kyle Crooks and Matthew Stubbington calling the action
Live Stats<https://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=532022>
Admission: Free
Promotions: First 150 students receive a Gator Vuvuzela Horn.
Unbeaten Teams:
As of Sept. 1 play, 47 teams are unbeaten in 2024 NCAA Division I action.
That includes seven Southeastern Conference programs:
No. 6 Arkansas 4-0-1
No. T13 Auburn 5-0
Florida 2-0-3
Kentucky 5-0
South Carolina 2-0-2
No. 16 Texas 4-0-1
Vanderbilt 3-0-1
and Sunday’s opponent:
No. 3 Florida State 4-0-1
Sunday’s match is the 18th in the 30-season history of Florida and Florida State soccer that at least one of the teams enter the match unbeaten.
It is the sixth time – and second consecutive – both enter match unbeaten. Prior to 2023, the last time both were unbeaten coming into this meeting was 2013. In 2024, FSU is 4-0-1 and Florida is 2-0-3.
Florida Last Weekend:
Florida is coming off two road matches, winning at Georgia State (2-0) and tying at Towson (1-1).
A goal in each half gave Florida a 2-0 win at Georgia State on Aug. 29. Lena Bailey’s sliding right foot put in the cross from Njeri Butts in the 28th minute. It was Bailey’s first goal of the season and her fourth game-winning-goal of her then career five scores.
Freshman Vera Blom’s 25-yard curler to the far post upper slot in the 65th minute marked her second consecutive match with a score. That goal also landed on the Aug. 29 ESPN SportsCenter’s Top 10<https://x.com/GatorsSoccer/status/1829534333956501805>.
All the scoring at Towson came in the second half. Bailey scored her second goal of the season and the weekend less than two minutes into the second half, putting in the free kick by Emilee Hauser. Florida had to play the final 22 minutes a man down when UF goalkeeper Jayden Emmanuel got a red card for denying a goal scoring opportunity. Towson scored the tying goal with just 10 second remaining when Maja Hansson put in Sophie Thibeault’s free kick.
About the Seminoles:
Florida State claimed the 2023 NCAA College Cup with a 5-1 win over Stanford to finish the season with an unbeaten record of 22-0-1. The Seminoles won the Atlantic Coast Conference title with a 9-0-1 record and also winning the conference tournament.
Florida State is No. 1 in the ACC preseason poll and led the league with three on the preseason All-ACC Team – Jordynn Dudley, Heather Gilchrist and Taylor Huff. Leading the Seminoles in all offensive categories this season is Huff – goals (5) and points (14). She shares the assist leads (4) with Ran Iwai. Sophomore Addie Todd has started every match and owns a goals-against-average of 0.22.
Six Seminoles have been with their national teams since FSU’s second match of the season as they are in Colombia for the 2024 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup – Jordynn Dudley, Heather Gilchrist, Giana Riley and Taylor Suarez (U.S.), Lara Dantas (Brazil) and Marianylea Jimenez (Venezuela). Brazil is through to the knockout round with two wins. The U.S. and Venezuela both lost their opening match and finish group play on Saturday, Sept. 7.
The Seminoles shutout four of its five opponents this season – South Florida (5-0), North Florida (10-0), Rice (3-0) and Villanova (2-0). Then No. 24 Georgia took a 1-0 lead into halftime on Aug. 29 in Tallahassee with Huff scoring the final goal in the 64th minute to finish in a 1-all tie.
Brian Pensky claimed 2023 top coaching honors by the United Soccer Coaches and ACC. He is in his third season with the Seminoles after coaching 10 seasons at Tennessee.
