GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Florida soccer continues its pattern of Thursday matches versus top-20 matches as the Gators play host to No. 2 North Carolina.
North Carolina is Florida’s fourth ranked opponent for 2021. Just Florida and Ohio State have faced four top-25 opponents so far this season.
The first four Thursdays of the 2021 season feature top-20 Gator opponents – at No. 20 South Florida (2-1 loss), versus No. 19 Central Florida (2-0 loss), No. 1 Florida State (5-2 loss) and No. 2 North Carolina.
Thursday, Sept. 9 versus No. 2 North Carolina
* Time/Site: 7 p.m. ET at Donald R. Dizney Stadium (1,500)<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_sports_2020_4_4_donald-2Dr-2Ddizney-2Dstadium.aspx&d=DwIFAg&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=o2QIo5VMxn6Og0sWr-ePWNPSzC3LlpDydBR85gnmtQE&s=YBqTGjKwwxoK2ihczVgMhHtBXGTdNMr5c9XCtXsDCkE&e= >
* Streaming Video: SEC Network + with Kyle Crooks and Matthew Stubbington calling the action
* Streaming Audio<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_watch_-3FLive-3D3600-26type-3DArchive&d=DwIFAg&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=o2QIo5VMxn6Og0sWr-ePWNPSzC3LlpDydBR85gnmtQE&s=IEZKnoaMZMKhk_-eK-_tJFry8dcL4pFsErY8gNObK2k&e= >: GatorVision with Skyler Lebron and Juan Aguerrevere calling the action
* Tickets: Free admission
* Live Stats<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__stats.statbroadcast.com_statmonitr_-3Fid-3D354808&d=DwIFAg&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=o2QIo5VMxn6Og0sWr-ePWNPSzC3LlpDydBR85gnmtQE&s=m6bVhkq9cn9hPo1DT0DFjN4KRptrRfdV78tiglfesPc&e= >
Ranked Opponents:
No. 2 North Carolina is Florida’s fourth top-20 opponent of the 2021 season<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_sports_womens-2Dsoccer_schedule-3Fpath-3Dsoccer&d=DwIFAg&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=o2QIo5VMxn6Og0sWr-ePWNPSzC3LlpDydBR85gnmtQE&s=6Q9rrZBvcKwxtA5d_Iq1cJ6tt0b0Alb0x2epUSeQR3g&e= >. Only Florida and Ohio State face four top-25 opponents through opening four weeks of the season.
This is Florida’s 10th meeting versus a No. 2 team. The Gators are 4-4-1 all-time versus the No. 2 team.
UNC Making Rare Visit to Gainesville:
UF and UNC last met for a match on Aug. 24, 2012 in Chapel Hill, N.C. as the two teams played to a scoreless tie. It is the only tie in 10 previous meetings.
The Tar Heels are making their first trip to Gainesville to face Florida since 1998. That Oct. 11 match featured two undefeated teams meeting in front of a Percy Beard Stadium record crowd of 5,222. The match was extended to overtime with the Tar Heels taking 2-1 overtime win. The two teams met again the 1998 College Cup final, with the Gators taking the national crown with a 1-0 victory off a free kick goal by Danielle Fotopoulos.
Gators’ Last Outing:
Florida is coming off a 1-0 win Sunday at Florida Gulf Coast<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_news_2021_9_5_soccer-2Dgators-2Dwin-2D1-2D0-2Dat-2Dflorida-2Dgulf-2Dcoast.aspx&d=DwIFAg&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=o2QIo5VMxn6Og0sWr-ePWNPSzC3LlpDydBR85gnmtQE&s=vDkniJEepqmybqAJZChLSaEfxLOuFS7oPDw6GWH5YD4&e= >. Weather played a factor in the match, as the teams were forced from the field just after five minutes of play due to lightning. After an hour and half delay, play resumed with much of the remainder of the match played in rain. Junior Alivia Gonzalez put in the pass from Nicole Vernis from just inside the box to provide all the scoring of the day in the 54th minute. The shutout was the first for Gator sophomore goalkeeper Alexa Goldberg.
2021 Records:
Florida (1-4-1, 0-0 SEC)
No. 2 North Carolina (6-0, 0-0 ACC)
Series Records:
UNC leads 1-8-1
About the Tar Heels:
Both North Carolina and Florida State swept through fall 2020 Atlantic Coast Conference play with an 8-0 records. The two teams met in the ACC Tournament final, with FSU taking a 3-2 win. North Carolina advanced to last season’s NCAA College Cup, falling 3-1 in semifinal action to eventual NCAA champion Santa Clara.
In 2021, UNC is 6-0 and has outscored opponents 16-3. Two Tar Heels – freshman Emily Murphy and senior Rachael Dorwart – share the team’s goals lead with three each. Senior forward/midfielder Rachel Jones earned All-America honors last season. Senior Claudia Dickey has played every minute in goal for the Tar Heels this season and owns a goals against average of 0.49.
Anson Dorrance has been UNC’s women’s coach since 1979, leading the Tar Heels to 21 NCAA team titles in the event’s 39-year history.
