Florida Gators

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The second hat-trick of the season by junior Abby Wambach led the No. 17 University of Florida soccer team to a 6-0 win over Alabama Friday evening in front of a Percy Beard Stadium crowd of 1,280. The win improves the Gators' record to 11-6 overall, 7-0 in the SEC, while UA drops to 5-12, 1-6 SEC.
 
With two league matches remaining on the schedule, a win Sunday against Auburn would give the Gators the first-ever Southeastern Conference regular-season title. Tennessee entered the weekend in second with just a single league loss, but the Lady Vols lost 1-0 to Mississippi State on Friday evening. UT drops to a tie for second in the overall regular-season standings at 5-2 with SEC Western Division leader Mississippi.
 
"Winning the SEC title is our focus right now," UF Head Coach Becky Burleigh said. "Our next goal is to get a win Sunday against Auburn to claim the SEC regular-season title."
 
"Tonight was a good chance for everyone to play," she continued. "It gives us (the coaches) a chance to look at some of the players in game action to see who is making an impact."
 
Freshman Robin Fulton opened the Florida scoring at 5:02, hitting an unassisted eight-yard shot from the middle. Wambach got the first of her three goals at 8:01, finding the back of the net from 14-yards. She got her second goal of the half at 27:21, scoring off a six-yard header set up by the cross from freshman Crystal Frimpong. Wambach finished off her hat-trick at 54:27, hitting a 10-yard shot off the double-assist from Andi Sellers and Fulton. Wambach got her first hat-trick of the season last Friday at Mississippi State. It is the fifth hat-trick of her collegiate career.
 
Sellers turned in two goals Friday. She hit her first at 17:22, scoring off a short header off the assist from senior Angie Olson. Sellers opened the second-half scoring, taking the cross from Erica "Boo" Schubert to hit a two-yard volley at 49:50.
 
For the match, UF outshot UA 29-8. Florida's goalkeepers, Jordan Kellgren and Regan Wiesemann, each played a half Friday. Kellgren turned in six saves in the opening half and Wiesemann recorded one in the second half. Alabama's goalkeepers also split halves Friday. The Tide's starting goalkeeper, Tasha Denecke, posted two saves, while LaTonda Eubanks turned in eight saves.
 
Next up, the Gators play host to Auburn on Sunday, Oct. 22 at 3 p.m. for UF's final regular-season home match. Florida's lone senior, Angie Olson, will be honored in a pre-match ceremony.
 
Match: Alabama  vs. Florida
Venue: Percy Beard Stadium, Gainesville, Fla.
Attendance: 1280
Date: Oct. 20, 2000, Kickoff @ 8:00 p.m. Local Time
Weather: Cloudy, 67 deg., winds from E at 10 mph, 76% humid.
 
Scoring Summary:              1^st            2^nd           Final
Alabama                               0              0              0
Florida                                   4              2              6

UF - Robin Fulton (unassisted) 6th minute
UF - Abby Wambach (Keisha Bell) 9
UF - Andrea Sellers (Angie Olson) 18
UF - Abby Wambach (Crystal Frimpong) 28
UF - Andrea Sellers (Boo Schubert) 50
UF - Abby Wambach (Andrea Sellers, Robin Fulton) 55

Lineups: (minutes played)
Alabama Starters:
2-Kathleen Motheral (66), 3-Melissa Montgomery (46), 6-Kim Zarzour (64), 7-Dawn Battle (75), 13-Ellen Sanders (52), 15-Dawn Nash (80), 16-Missy Keller (80), 17-Melissa McGee (75), 18-Katie Holtzapfel (74), 21-Danielle Watson (77), 31-Tasha Denecke(45)
Substitutes:
1-LaTonda Eubanks(45), 10-Caroline Bolz (38), 12-Rebecca Baker (49), 4-Lauren Imwalle (47), 19-Amanda Lewis (25), 25-Elizabeth Jannik (31), 23-Kelly Rowe (22)

Florida Starters:
15-Andrea Sellers (90), 17-Robin Fulton (48), 28-Abby Wambach (40), 3-Karyn Hall (37), 7-Danielle Murphy (79), 8-Boo Schubert (46), 21-Angie Olson (38), 2-Crystal Frimpong (44), 5-Keisha Bell (59), 24-Jennifer Sapp (37), 1-Jordan Kellgren(45)
Substitutes:
14-Regan Wiesemann(45), 19-Kara Rao (56), 29-Dena Floyd (59), 6-Whitney Singer (50), 4-Kristin Fisher (52), 11-Jill Stevens (54), 13-Megan McMillan (38), 9-Stephanie Keating (38), 18-Kelly Britt (26), 27-Tiffany Waters (10)

Statistical Summary:          UA          UF
Shots                                      8              29
Saves                                     10           7
Corner Kicks                         1              14
Fouls                                      14           20
Offside                                   0              1

Misconduct Summary:
UF-Ke. Bell (caution) 36th minute
 
Officials:
Referee: Bob Heilmann
Asst. Referee: David Albany
Asst. Referee: Dan Povenzano
4th Official: Morland Taylor