Gators and Gamecocks To Settle SEC Soccer Crown On Friday
Thursday, October 28, 2010 | Soccer, Scott Carter
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Florida goalkeeper Katie Fraine, a fifth-year senior, still gets butterflies before every match.
It's been that way since she first pulled on a Gators uniform. Fraine will play her final regular-season match on Friday night, and those butterflies will be dancing around a little more than usual in her stomach.
The ring is the reason.
“You come to Florida to win championships; you come to Florida to play the best teams in the country,'' Fraine said. “That's the fun part about playing. If we can win this one, we're bringing home another championship.''
The No. 8-ranked Gators (14-2-2, 8-1-1 in SEC) travel to face No. 17-ranked South Carolina (14-3-2, 8-1-1) on Friday in the biggest match of the season. The winner claims the SEC regular-season title.
The same scenario played out at the end of last season when the Gators, playing at home, defeated the Gamecocks 3-0 in the regular-season finale. The victory gave Florida its fourth consecutive SEC regular-season title. A week later in the SEC Tournament, South Carolina prevailed, 1-0, setting the stage for an intense matchup Friday at Stone Stadium.
The match can be seen live on Sun Sports at 7 p.m.
“It's a big game because there is a ring on the line,'' Gators coach Becky Burleigh said. “You can't get more motivated than that.''
The Gators will be tested by a South Carolina team that features junior forward Kayla Grimsley, the SEC's leading scorer (31 points) with 11 goals and nine assists. The Gamecocks also expect a packed Stone Stadium to be rocking on Senior Night and with a chance to earn their first SEC regular-season title on the line.
Another fifth-year Gators senior, defender/midfielder Ashlee Elliott, anticipates one of the biggest challenges of her career. When the rivalry intensified at the end of last season, Elliott could only watch after suffering a torn ACL in her knee early in the season.
She can't think of a better way to close out the regular season.
“It's always an emotional game,'' Elliott said. “I'm just excited to see what they can bring this year and to see what we can bring to them. We have to make sure that we're a set defense, make sure that we're a set offense and that we can finish our opportunities when we get them. They are going to give us a good match.''
SEC titles are nothing new to Burleigh. Since starting the program in 1995, the Gators have claimed 10 SEC crowns and been the league's dominant program. While the roster has changed over the years, the attitude hasn't
“That's not easy to do when every year you have that target on your back,'' Burleigh said. “I have to give credit to our players for not taking anything for granted and coming out each season with that as a goal.''
Over the past few seasons, the Gamecocks have emerged as one of Florida's most serious threats. Under head coach Shelley Smith, South Carolina has developed into one of the league's top defensive teams, playing a very physical and grinding style.
Florida's play is defined by an aggressive attacking style, anchored by Fraine in goal and an offense that has outscored opponents 43-12 overall and 26-7 in SEC play. Four Gators have scored five or more goals, led by McKenzie Barney and Tahnai Annis with 10 each.
“We're similar in record,'' Burleigh said of the matchup. “Don't think we really play that similar. I respect South Carolina a lot. I think it became a better rivalry after last year. They are a really well disciplined, organized-defensively team. And they've got enough firepower up top to be dangerous.''
In the first meeting last season, Barney scored two early goals that energized the crowd and set the tempo. In Florida's loss, South Carolina scored in the 11th minute and then used its defensive pressure to dictate the pace.
The Gators are ready for the same approach by the Gamecocks on Friday, but are hoping for a different result.
“They always come out hard,'' Fraine said. “They always have a very feisty team. They want to win and I think they are willing to do anything to win, just as much as we are. They outworked us [in our last match]. They beat us fair and square. It was heartbreaking.
“It makes us really want to show them that they don't have a right to steal our championships.''
