GAINESVILLE, Fla. – A pair of Sunshine State opponents – first away and then home – are next for Gators soccer.
Florida heads to Miami for its first road match of 2023 on Thursday. Then the Gators to play host to Stetson on Sunday for the team’s final home match of the non-conference schedule.
Thursday, Aug. 24 at Miami
Time/Site: 6 p.m. at Cobb Stadium<https://miamihurricanes.com/facilities/cobb-stadium/>
Streaming Video: ACC Network X<https://www.espn.com/watch/player/_/id/fa7ad2dd-062c-4d1e-98ff-80c33caccd20>
Live Stats<http://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=470633&vislive=fla>
Admission: Free
Sunday, Aug. 27 vs Stetson
Time/Site: 6 p.m. at Donald R. Dizney Stadium<https://floridagators.com/sports/2020/4/4/donald-r-dizney-stadium.aspx>
Streaming Video: SEC Network +<https://www.espn.com/watch/player/_/id/b2913407-7c83-4bfe-9f12-ee66c4dcf881> with action called by Kyle Crooks and Matthew Stubbington
Radio: GatorVision<https://floridagators.com/watch/?Live=5194> with action called by Nevada Cullen and Sky Lebron
Live Stats<http://stats.statbroadcast.com/broadcast/?id=469993>
Promotions: Kids Night – Youth sized soccer balls for the kids; get face painted pre-match.
Admission is free for all Gator soccer regular-season home matches.
Florida’s Opening Weekend:
The Gators opened the 2023 season at 2-0 after wins versus East Carolina (2-0) and Maryland (1-0).
It is the 16th time – and first since 2019 – UF has opened a season 2-0. Florida’s now started six of its 29 seasons with a pair of shutouts, with the last coming in 2017.
* Junior Madeline Pirrello’s second career goal was the game-winner in Florida’s opener versus East Carolina. Sophomore Lauren McCloskey’s cross on the play was the second assist of her collegiate career.
* The next two scores were collegiate first for redshirt sophomore Oakley Rasmussen (vs. ECU) and freshman Lena Bailey (vs Maryland).
* Rasmussen successfully converted the penalty kick awarded after freshman Megan Hinnenkamp was fouled as she drove through the ECU box.
* Lena Bailey’s first shot of the match versus Maryland placed her among three Southeastern Conference freshmen to score a game-winner in the opening weekend of play. Her performance earned her the first SEC Freshman of the Week honor.<https://floridagators.com/news/2023/8/21/lena-bailey-is-sec-freshman-soccer-player-of-the-week.aspx>
* Senior center back Daviana Vaka earned a spot on TopDrawer Soccer’s National Team of the Week<https://www.topdrawersoccer.com/college-soccer-articles/womens-team-of-the-week:-august-21_aid52381> for her contributions to UF’s pair of season opening clean sheets.
* Alexa Goldberg added two shutouts to bring her career total to seven.
About Upcoming Opponents:
Miami
Miami was 5-8-3 overall and 2-7-1 in Atlantic Coast Conference action last season. The Hurricanes return seven starters from 2022, which includes co-leading goal scorer Lauren Meeks. She turned in three goals in her sophomore season. Graduate Melissa Dagenais is back for her fifth season with UM. She led the ACC with her average of 4.81 saves per game in 2022.
Miami (1-0-1, 0-0-0 ACC) opened the season with a 3-0 road win versus Stetson. The Hurricanes and Florida Atlantic tied 1-1 on Sunday in Coral Gables.
Stetson
Stetson was 6-11-1 overall and 3-6-1 in ASUN action last season. The Hatters returns 21 players from the 2022 roster and added nine. Midfielder Hanna Arvay is Stetson’s leading points scorer from 2022. The sophomore from Budapest, Hungary, earned seven points off 3 goals and an assist. Freshman goalkeeper Mallory Osborn started Stetson’s 2023 opener (3-0 loss versus Miami).
This will be Stetson’s (0-2, 0-0-0 ASUN) first road match, as the Hatters lost to Miami (3-0) and Air Force (3-2) in the opening weekend and play host to Charleston Southern Thursday.
