Gator Soccer Loses 5-2 at No. 1 Florida State

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida soccer lost 5-2 at No. 1 Florida State Thursday evening at the Seminole Soccer Complex.

Thursday’s scoring:
An early four-minute span produced three goals. The first shot of the match was a Gator goal. Junior Alivia Gonzalez’s cross was flicked in by Kit Loferski at 9:50. Just 14 seconds later, the Seminoles tied the match when FSU’s Jaelin Howell successfully converted a penalty kick. Sophomore Beata Olsson’s high outstretch foot caught Yujie Zhao’s cross to score at 13:46.

Clara Robbins closed the opening half scoring with a 19-yard low shot in the 30th minute.

Olsson scored her second early in the final half. The ball came in off a corner kick and one shot attempt deflected off the cross bar right at Olsson’s feet. Her short shot scored in the 49th minute. Seminole scoring closed in the 78th minute when Robbins put in FSU’s second penalty kick of the evening.

A hard 14-yard strike from Gator senior Shaye Seyffart in the closing minute was the final goal of the match. It was her first Gator goal.

Notes:

* Tonight’s attendance of 2,552 is No. 6 all-time for FSU soccer. Five of the top six attendance marks in Seminole history came in UF-FSU meetings.
* Graduate Kit Loferski scored each of Florida’s goals heading into tonight’s match. She joins Gator Great Sarah Yohe (1997) as the only two players to score each of a season’s opening three goals. Three goals equals Loferski’s collegiate season high set as a freshman in 2016.
* The final goal of the match was scored by Shaye Seyffart – her first Gator goal. She turned in a goal in each of her first two seasons at Villanova before transferring to UF for the 2020-21 campaign. It was Seyffart’s first appearance of the season, as health protocols sidelined her for the opening four matches.
* This was Florida’s third meeting versus a top-20 team this season. That ties the national high for matches versus top-25 teams (joining Texas A&M, Arkansas and Stephen F. Austin) through the season’s opening five matches.
* Tonight marked the 27th anniversary for the program opening match for both teams. The two teams met in Gainesville on Sept. 2, 1995 for the debut (4-0 UF win).

2021 Records:

Florida (0-4-1, 0-0 SEC)

No. 1 Florida State (5-0, 0-0 ACC)

Series Records:
FSU leads 14-13

What the Gators Said:
On today’s match:
“I think every time out, whether it is practice or a game, we have been taking a step. We’re trying to grow in terms of our work rate and figuring out what it takes to win at this level. Obviously, we played the No. 1 team in the nation tonight. There were moments in the game but we have a lot more steps to take before we make up that difference.

“We have more in us and we are going to keep pushing forward so by the time the season is over, we’re where we need to be and have taken some big steps.” Florida Head Coach Tony Amato

On getting to play tonight:
“It felt great [to play]. When I was in quarantine, it felt like forever. Four games out but I’m back now and happy about it.” – senior Shaye Seyffart

What led up to her goal and the team’s progress so far:
“Laney Steed was out wide and she played it in. I believe someone popped it out and I one-timed it.

“We are definitely making strides but we need to go back, look at what we did wrong today and get back after it on Sunday. – senior Shaye Seyffart

Next Up:
Florida finishes a four-match stretch versus in-state rivals Sunday when it makes its first trip to Florida Gulf Coast.

Sunday, Sept. 5 at 1 p.m.

* Time: 1 p.m. ET
* Stadium: Pickering Field at the FGCU Soccer Complex<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__fgcuathletics.com_facilities_pickering-2Dfield-2Dat-2Dthe-2Dfgcu-2Dsoccer-2Dcomplex_2&d=DwIFAg&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=4YTErs4FZDIl_cknoii0szFKrpekZQGt-KrpYT-_NRs&s=O66Si0iWB5hZieK36P95Ke7UfpzsNpnCmgWprMTkSp0&e= >
* Streaming Video: Facebook Live<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.facebook.com_FGCUWSoccer_-3Fref-3Dbookmarks&d=DwIFAg&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=4YTErs4FZDIl_cknoii0szFKrpekZQGt-KrpYT-_NRs&s=77m4LAYQlL6Aoek1bWowrh4ZN2_LiiWzrx14Dj7TBIQ&e= >
* Radio: GatorVision<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_watch_-3FLive-3D3597-26type-3DArchive&d=DwIFAg&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=4YTErs4FZDIl_cknoii0szFKrpekZQGt-KrpYT-_NRs&s=d48SOZXVw6q-Ldm4_5oCzMVpH0jQAGkh7PkPzWVWfj4&e= > with Kyle Crooks and Matthew Stubbington calling the action
* Tickets:<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__fgcuathletics.evenue.net_cgi-2Dbin_ncommerce3_SEGetEventInfo-3FticketCode-3DGS-3AATHLETICS-3AF21-3AWS04-3A-26linkID-3Dfgcu-2Dathletics-26RSRC-3DSIDEARM-26RDAT-3Dsgl-26-5Fga-3D2.155398584.223705935.1630206299-2D994407686.1628908681&d=DwIFAg&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=4YTErs4FZDIl_cknoii0szFKrpekZQGt-KrpYT-_NRs&s=vcxLkhoYujxlQ4bCP6ANMT1ocJuoMz0sxNoeWoJaYKA&e= > $7/adults; $5/military & youth
* Live Stats<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__stats.statbroadcast.com_broadcast_-3Fid-3D354793&d=DwIFAg&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=4YTErs4FZDIl_cknoii0szFKrpekZQGt-KrpYT-_NRs&s=_jSAzG9efQ7dnfaOhB5KTFrL46vZCZ-4u5MKW4kGagU&e= >

Florida (0-4-1, 0-0-0 SEC) at No. 1 Florida State (5-0-0, ACC 0-0-0)

Stadium: Seminole Soccer Complex (2,552)

Weather: 82 degrees, W winds at 5 mph, 77% humidity

Goals by Periods

Final

Florida

Florida State

Scoring Summary: