GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Gators soccer begins its first season under Head Coach Samantha Bohon this week with a pair of road matches versus in-state opponents.
Thursday, Aug. 18 at Central Florida
Time/Site: 6 p.m. at UCF Soccer and Track Complex<https://ucfknights.com/facilities/ucf-soccer-and-track-complex/6>
Streaming Video: ESPN+
Radio: ESPN 98.1 FM / 850 AM<https://www.wruf.com/listen-live/> with action called by Kyle Crooks and Ryan Urquhart
Tickets: $5<https://www.ticketmaster.com/ucf-knights-womens-soccer-vs-florida-orlando-florida-08-18-2022/event/22005CF6D86CCA7D>
Live Stats<http://stats.statbroadcast.com/statmonitr/?id=413546>
Sunday, Aug. 21 at Stetson
Time/Site: 6 p.m. at Athletic Training Center<https://gohatters.com/facilities/athletic-training-center/5>
Streaming Video: Hatter Vision<https://www.youtube.com/c/HatterVision>
Radio: ESPN 98.1 FM / 850 AM<https://www.wruf.com/listen-live/> with action called by Kyle Crooks and Matthew Stubbington
Tickets: : $5 general admission; $3 group general admission Stetson Tickets<https://www.ticketreturn.com/prod2new/BuyNew.asp?EventID=329704>
Live Stats<https://gohatters.com/sidearmstats/wsoc/summary>
Florida is 19-5-3 in season openers, including a 6-4-1 record when opening on the road.
Meet Coach Bohon:
Samantha Bohon is the third coach in Florida’s 28-season history. Bohon joined the Gators in May<https://floridagators.com/news/2022/5/16/soccer-for-brohon-this-time-was-right-time-may-16-2022.aspx> after spending the last 15 seasons at Embry-Riddle in Daytona Beach, Fla.
While with Embry-Riddle, Bohon coached four consecutive Sun Conference Tournament champion teams and after the program transitioned to NCAA Division II, finished with the last two Sunshine State Tournament titles, advancing to NCAA DII Tournament action both seasons.
The 2022 Gators:
The 2022 Gators consists of 25 players, including seven freshmen and two transfers. Florida returns nine with three or more starts in last season’s 20-match schedule.
Florida was 4-12-4 last season. The Gators tied for 10th in Southeastern Conference action at 3-6-1 and advanced to the SEC Tournament quarterfinal round. Three 2021 Gator goal scorers return in 2022 – senior Alivia Gonzalez (2 goals, 1 assist), junior Julianne Leskauskas (2g, 1a) and sophomore Madison Young (1g). Five others turned in two assists in 2021. Florida’s roster includes three goalkeepers, including junior Alexa Goldberg who started every 2021 match.
Last Time:
Central Florida scored twice in the opening half when the two teams last met on Aug. 26, 2021 at the Donald R. Dizney Stadium. The first came in the 14th minute when the ball popped out of a scrum on the foot of UCF’s Trescott Shamlou. The final score came when Darya Rajaee put in a penalty kick at 40:49.
This is the first meeting between Florida and Stetson since the Gators claimed a 5-0 home win on Oct. 6, 1996.
About this Week’s Gator Opponents:
Central Florida
Both Florida and UCF were 2-0 in 2022 exhibition action. UCF opened preseason play with a 2-1 win at Florida Atlantic and won 3-0 in home action versus Miami.
Central Florida finished sixth in the 2021 American Athletic Conference (3-4-1 AAC) and posted an overall record of 8-7-1. Super Senior Kristen Scott led the Knights in 2021 with 23 points off of 10 goals and 3 assists to earn 2021 AAC first-team honors. The 2021 AAC Midfielder of the Year Darya Rajaee returns for her fifth season. UCF also returns redshirt senior Caroline DeLisle, who started each of the Knights’ 16 matches in 2023 and earned a goals-against-average of 1.13. She was the 2021 AAC Goalkeeper of the Year.
Series Record: UF leads 14-6-1
Stetson
Stetson dropped 2-0 decisions in both 2022 exhibition matches – at USF and versus Georgia State.
Stetson was 6-10-2 in 2021 and did not advance to the Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament eight-team field after posting a 3-5-1 conference record. Sophomore Kyleigh Thelen earned ASUN All-Freshman honors in 2021. Junior Chloe Washington was second among the 2021 Hatters with four goals. Both Hatter goalkeepers are back in 2022. Junior Ashleigh Wise started 12 matches and turned in a 1.77 GAA in 2021. Redshirt sophomore Sarah Grimmett started six matches, turning in a 1.04 GAA.
Series Record: UF leads 1-0
