GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Two Southeastern Conference Eastern Division soccer rivals – Florida and No. 22 South Carolina – meet a day early due to Hurricane Ian.
The approach of Hurricane Ian already caused University of Florida to cancel classes Wednesday-Friday this week. The impact of the storm also concerned the University of South Carolina as its progression will likely impact the Columbia, S.C., area later in the week.
With that in mind, the soccer match moved up 24 hours to Thursday, Sept. 29 to try to avoid Hurricane Ian’s impact on the event.
Florida (2-8, 0-3 SEC) at No. 22 South Carolina (6-2-3, 1-2 SEC)
Date: Thursday, Sept. 29
Time/Site: 7 p.m. ET at Eugene E. Stone III Stadium (5,700)
TV: SEC Network +<https://www.espn.com/watch/player/_/id/88b4f7ee-3b36-458b-ad7b-f6cd71d5c839>
Live Stats<http://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=412951&vislive=fla>
Tickets: Free
Parking: Free at Athletic Village Garage
No concessions: Fans allowed to bring own food & drink
Hurricane Winds Move Dates Around
Schedule changes due to hurricanes is not unfamiliar to Gator Soccer. Thursday’s match at South Carolina is the fifth moved or canceled due to an approaching hurricane since 2016.
Florida Soccer Schedule Changes due to Hurricanes
Date
Opponent
Match Impact
Hurricane
9-8-17
vs Florida State
Moved to Oct. 12 (2-0 loss)
Hurricane Irma
9-10-17
vs USF
Cancelled
Hurricane Irma
9-2-16
at Florida State
Cancelled
Hurricane Hermine
10-6-16
vs Georgia
Start time moved up 2 hrs (3-1 win)
Hurricane Matthew
The bus driver for UF’s 2004 trip to Chapel Hill, N.C., spent some unexpected additional time with the Gators as he drove the team back to Gainesville after their 5-1 win over then No. 18 Duke on Sunday, Sept. 5. Flights were cancelled to state of Florida due to Hurricane Frances.
Later that season, Florida spent an extra evening in Columbus, Ga., after its 1-0 loss at Auburn on Sunday, Sept. 26, 2004 to avoid Hurricane Jeanne.
Be safe everyone! UF’s What to Do Before, During and After Hurricane<https://updates.emergency.ufl.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/UFDEM-Hurricane-Preparedness-Brochure-2021.pdf>
Thursday at No. 22 South Carolina
South Carolina is the third ranked opponent of Florida’s last five matches (then No. 10 Florida State 5-0 loss and 1-0 loss at then No. 13 Mississippi).
The Gamecocks also faced three ranked opponents in 2022 – tying then No. 1 Florida State 0-0 to open the season, losing 2-0 at then No. 11 Alabama to open Southeastern Conference action and falling 1-0 to then No. 20 Arkansas last Sunday.
No. 22 South Carolina was unbeaten through non-conference action. That stretch includes a scoreless tie versus defending NCAA champion Florida State to open the season. The Gamecocks only losses are a 2-0 decision at then No. 11 Alabama to start SEC action and 1-0 home loss last Sunday to then No. 20 Arkansas.
The Gamecocks were the No. 3 pick in the 2022 SEC preseason coaches poll. Shae O’Rourke’s 9 points (3 goals, 3 assists) leads USC in 2022. Senior defender Jyllissa Harris appears on the 2022 Missouri Athletic Club Hermann Trophy Watch list.
Heather Hinz owns six solo shutouts in goal and owns a 2022 goals-against-average of 0.53. She leads the SEC with 39 saves in 11 matches and Florida’s Alexa Goldberg is second with 37 saves in 10 matches. Goldberg’s 3.70 saves per match leads the league.
Series Record: Florida leads 22-11-2. Last meeting, USC won 2-1 in Gainesville, Fla., on Oct. 28, 2021
