GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Florida soccer (3-2-5, 0-1-1 SEC) continues season-opening Southeastern Conference road action Sunday at Missouri.
Hurricane Helene gives Florida the rare distinction being the first SEC team to play three straight league road matches since 2012. The University of Florida announced Wednesday that campus was closed Thursday due to the approach of the hurricane, forcing the postponement of the Sept. 26 Tennessee at Florida match (reschedule date yet to be set).
It is the second storm to adjust Florida’s soccer schedule this season. The Gators first exhibition versus South Florida was moved a day earlier to August 3 due to the approach of Tropical Storm Debby.
Sunday, Florida continues this extended SEC road stretch in Columbia, Mo.
* Missouri opened SEC play with a 1-0 home loss to traditional league power Texas A&M and then lost 8-2 at No. T3 Arkansas.
* Both of Missouri’s two wins this season have come in Columbia – Missouri State (2-0 / Aug. 15) and SEMO (5-0 / Sept. 8).
2024 Florida Season Stats<https://floridagators.com/sports/womens-soccer/stats>
at Missouri (2-6-2, 0-2-1 SEC)
Date: Sunday, Sept. 29
Time: 6 p.m. ET
Site: Audrey J. Walton Soccer Stadium <https://mutigers.com/facilities/audrey-j-walton-soccer-stadium/10> (2,500)
Stream: SEC Network +<https://www.espn.com/watch/player/_/id/5cc27486-f5d2-4104-9181-392bbd9243b9>
StatBroadcast<https://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=532765&vislive=fla>
Admission: Free
Florida in SEC Opening Weekend
The Gators opened Southeastern Conference play with a scoreless tie at No. 20 Kentucky on Sept. 23.
It was the first tie of the season for the Wildcats, who opened the season with an 8-0 record.
Thursday’s result was Florida’s second consecutive point in SEC action versus ranked teams. The Gators closed 2023 SEC play with a 0-0 tie versus No. 13 South Carolina. UF opened 2024 SEC action Thursday with a scoreless tie at No. 20 Kentucky.
It was UF’s sixth shutout and the fourth time UF didn’t score in a 2024 match. Florida’s five ties shares second with three other programs in the Sept. 24 NCAA Division I rankings. Abilene Christian’s six ties leads the nation.
In Florida’s second road match versus a top-20 team of the SEC opening weekend, the Gators dropped a 1-0 decision at No. 6 Auburn on Sept. 22. The deciding goal came off the scrum in the box off an Auburn free kick. AU’s Jordyn Crosby shot deflected off a Gator defender to score in the 65th minute. Florida’s late opportunity to tie the match was nixed by the crossbar. Lena Bailey earned a corner kick in the final minute. That kick bounced around until Sophie White got a shot off with just 27 seconds remaining. Her shot kicked off the cross bar and was cleared by the Tigers.
About Missouri Tigers:
In 2023, Missouri turned in a 5-9-3 record and its 1-8-1 record was 14th in the Southeastern Conference. The Tigers earned their first league point of 2024 Thursday with a 1-1 tie at Alabama.
Senior Milena Fischer leads MU in goals with three, including one Thursday at Alabama. Two other Tigers – junior Kylee Simmons and senior Leah Selm – are second with two goals each. Redshirt junior Bella Hollenbach has started seven of Missouri’s eight matches and owns a goals-against-average of 2.30.
Stefanie Golan is Missouri’s second coach and is in her fourth season leading the Tigers. She and Florida’s Samantha Bohon were college teammates at Duke. Florida’s (Baggett) Bohon was a senior when (Kraay) Golan was a freshman on the 1997 team that advanced to the NCAA First Round.
