GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Gator soccer opens Southeastern Conference Tournament action Sunday with a 2 p.m. ET match with Vanderbilt. All nine matches of the SEC Tournament air live on the SEC Network.
* Florida is making its 27th consecutive SEC Tournament appearance, winning 12 titles including the 2015 and 2016 crowns. This is the ninth meeting between Florida & Vanderbilt in SEC Tournament play and first since Florida advanced with a 1-0 win in 2018 quarterfinal action. UF is 8-0 versus the Commodores in SEC Tournament play.
* This is Florida’s third match in Orange Beach this calendar year. In the extended 2020-21 season, Florida and LSU met at the Orange Beach Sportsplex on March 14, with the Tigers taking a 2-1 win. The Gators returned to face Southern Mississippi for an 2021 season exhibition match, winning 2-1.
* Florida is the SEC Tournament’s No. 10 seed and Vanderbilt is No. 7. The Gators were among a three-way tie with Mississippi State and Texas A&M for No. 10 in the final SEC regular-season standings. The Gators advanced based on the tie-breaker comparing goal differential versus common SEC opponents.
Sunday, Oct. 31 versus Vanderbilt
* Time/Site: 2 p.m. ET at Orange Beach Sportsplex<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.orangebeachal.gov_facilities_sportsplex_about&d=DwIFAg&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=77cYUDFeX-_dBl1vG–8ionez5J9IeLCcofjp8qb4kj4AyIZAkqsaZHONIhUGxiX&s=agJopQXnnPqmNheHcvXlPAm79nga3NkWPVHEZd5Bt7o&e= > (1,500)
* SEC Network<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.espn.com_watch_player-3Fid-3D66f08918-2Dea83-2D4e30-2Daa84-2Dc4cc30dbd144&d=DwIFAg&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=77cYUDFeX-_dBl1vG–8ionez5J9IeLCcofjp8qb4kj4AyIZAkqsaZHONIhUGxiX&s=tCCJX0E_oPp7QyxUS0YB-fVUeqvu8LtmURqD0AlDlcI&e= > Mike Watts and former U.S. National Team member Jill Loyden call the action
* Radio: ESPN Gainesville 98.1 FM / 850 AM<https://www.wruf.com/listen-live/> – Kyle Crooks and Mathew Stubbington with the call
* Tickets: Adults $5, children (K-12) $2 per day
* SEC Tournament site and bracket<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.secsports.com_championship_soccer&d=DwIFAg&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=77cYUDFeX-_dBl1vG–8ionez5J9IeLCcofjp8qb4kj4AyIZAkqsaZHONIhUGxiX&s=W2GiDuwvuxz1N2j9wdE3gJZ0xCNpn8RSdIyinMge5tg&e= >
Last Meeting:
Florida soccer and Vanderbilt played to a scoreless tie on a damp Sept. 17 evening to open 2021 SEC play at the Vanderbilt Soccer Complex. Rain earlier in the day left the field slick with the ball taking some unanticipated bounces. Gator sophomore goalkeeper Alexa Goldberg handled that aspect of the match well, turning in a match-high seven saves for her second shutout of the season. Also aiding in keeping the Commodores off the scoreboard were a pair of Gator team saves.
The Commodores recorded nine shots on goal while UF turned in four. The Commodores possessed the ball the majority of the opening half but the time of possession evened out in the remainder of the match with Gators getting several good looks at goal.
2021 Records:
Florida (4-11-3, 3-6-1 SEC)
Vanderbilt (8-8-2, 5-4-1 SEC)
Series Records:
UF leads 28-4-2
Last Match:
Florida dropped a 2-1 decision to South Carolina to close SEC regular-season and home action. A trio of Gator seniors combined for the first goal of the match. The play started with a free kick. The ball pinged around the top of the box before Georgia Eaton-Collin sent it forward. Kit Loferski touched ball with her raised heel into open space for Madison Alexander. Her left-footed touch scored at the far post for Alexander’s fourth goal of the last five matches. The Gamecocks tied it up in the 33rd minute with Ryan Gareis’ goal The game-winner started when a cross was sent to the middle of the box. After some touches as the teams looked to gain control, Claire Griffiths tapped it forward into space. Catherine Barry’s right footed swipe put it in at the near post at 76:22.
About Vanderbilt
Vanderbilt won the 2020 Southeastern Conference Tournament to earn the league’s automatic NCAA berth. The Commodores received an opening round bye and lost to Penn State 2-0 in NCAA Second Round action in Cary, N.C.
In 2021, Vanderbilt has faced five ranked opponents – versus No. 5 Duke (2-0 loss), versus No. 23 Pepperdine (4-1 loss), versus No. 7 Arkansas (1-0 OT loss), at No. 18 Mississippi (1-0 loss) and versus No. 10 Tennessee (2-1 OT win).
Senior Raegan Kelly leads VU with eight goals and 19 points. Graduate Maddie Elwell’s nine assists leads the Commodores. Sophomore goalkeeper Kate Devine has started every match this season, playing all but 50 minutes and owns a goals-against-average of 1.11.
The two teams have faced six common opponents:
* South Carolina (UF 2-1 home loss; VU 1-0 road loss)
* Missouri (UF 3-2 OT home loss; VU 5-0 home win)
* Kentucky (UF 1-0 OT home win; VU 4-1 road win)
* Mississippi (UF 1-0 home loss, VU 1-0 road loss)
* Tennessee (UF 2-0 road loss; VU 2-1 OT home win)
* Georgia (UF 4-3 road loss; VU 2-1 road win)
