No. 11 Florida Soccer Team Opens Season Friday with Miami
Thursday, August 19, 2010 | Soccer
The No. 11 University of Florida soccer team opens the 2010-11 Gator athletic season Friday, Aug. 20 when it plays host to Miami. Match time is set for 7 p.m. at the James G. Pressly Stadium. Admission is free for all 2010 Gator soccer regular-season matches. Friday's match will air live on Sun Sports (Gainesville/Ocala Cox Cable channel 48 or 748).
The first 200 UF students with identification Friday will receive free pizza, courtesy of Pizza Vito.
| Friday's Match Info: |
| Florida vs. Miami Friday, Aug. 20 @ 7 p.m. (ET) Site: James G. Pressly Stadium (4,500) Admission: Free The Coaches: Becky Burleigh, beginning 16th season @ UF (346-93-29/20 seasons overall - 264-70-23/UF), Tricia Taliaferro, 9th season @ Miami & 12th season overall (102-101-16 overall - 64-77-13 @ Miami) Television: live on Sun Sports Internet: live stats & streaming audio for UF-UM match available on www.GatorZone.com Streaming Video: live streaming video available – go to www.Gatorzone.com and click on GatorVision link for complete information Match Promotions: Pay for Dinner? Forget About It! - The first 200 UF students with identification can enjoy free pizza, compliments of Pizza Vito. |
The two teams also faced each other in the 2009 season opener, with Florida taking a 1-0 win in Coral Gables. Ashlee Elliott headed in the game winner early in the second half for her only goal of her shortened season. She suffered a left anterior cruciate ligament tear in Florida's third match of the season and received a medical hardship from the NCAA, allowing the two-time All-SEC first team selection to return to the Gators in 2010.
This is the fifth meeting all-time between the two programs and third meeting between the two teams at Pressly Stadium. UF is 1-1 versus the Hurricanes in home action. Miami last played UF in Gainesville for 2007 NCAA play, dropping a 3-0 decision in the opening round. The Hurricanes also came to Gainesville for 2008 NCAA play, losing 3-1 to UCF in the first round.
The Gators open the 2010 season ranked No. 11 on the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) preseason poll. It is the 14th consecutive season that Florida appears in the NSCAA preseason poll in the program's 16-year history.
Florida is picked to repeat as the Southeastern Conference champions in the preseason vote by the league coaches. Miami was picked to finish ninth in a preseason vote by the Atlantic Coast Conference coaches. The Gators have won 10 SEC titles, including the last four, since the program started in 1995.
The 38-member Florida roster raises the largest ever in the program's 16-year history by five. Florida returns six starters from 2009 NCAA Tournament play. The top five scorers from 2009 return – junior Lindsay Thompson (10 goals, 22 points), sophomores McKenzie Barney (8g, 18pts), Erika Tymrak (5g, 17pts), Brooke Thigpen (6g, 16pts) and junior Tahnai Annis (6g, 15 pts). Florida sophomore Kathryn Williamson is UF's top returning field player in minute played, averaging almost 85 minutes per match from her center back position. Senior Katie Fraine was named goalkeeper for the 2009 All-SEC first team and led the SEC with her goals against average of 0.61 in 2009 league play. The 13 newcomers is a gifted group, with three who are members of age-group national team player pools - sophomore transfer Alex Crown (U.S. Under-18), freshman Mady Solow (Canadian Under-20) and freshman Taylor Travis (U.S. U-18).
Live, streaming video of Friday's match can be seen at www.GatorZone.com – just click on the GatorVision icon for more information. The match can be heard live with Adam Schick calling the action on AM 850 WRUF or via simulcast on Gainesville/Ocala Cox Cable channel 946 and www.GatorZone.com.
