No. 18 Florida Seeks Share of SEC Soccer Title Friday versus No. 22 South Carolina
Wednesday, October 26, 2011 | Soccer
For the third year in a row, the Southeastern Conference title is on the line when No. 18 Florida (14-5, 7-3 SEC) and No. 22 South Carolina (14-5, 8-2 SEC) meet for the regular-season finale. This year, South Carolina is in the lead and is guaranteed at least a share of its first SEC title. Florida is in a must-win situation if it wants to retain a share of the SEC title. Western Division leader LSU is also in position to get a share of its first SEC title, but needs a Florida win combined with a win in its regular-season finale at Arkansas.
| Friday's Match Info: |
| No. 18 Florida (14-5-0, 7-3-0 SEC) vs. No. 22 South Carolina (14-5-0, 8-2 SEC) Date & Time: Oct. 28, 2011 @ 7 p.m. ET Television: live on FS-Florida (Gainesville/Ocala Cox Cable channel 70 or 1070) Radio: live on WRUF SportsRadio 850 Video: live streaming video & audio available on GatorVision Internet: live stats and audio for UF-USC match available on www.GatorZone.com Tickets: free admission
Match Promotions: WBB Home Opener Ticket Giveaway - the Florida Women's Basketball team will be on hand to personally distribute vouchers to their home opener vs. Michigan on Friday, November 11th; WBB Halftime Soccer Match - the Florida Women's Basketball team will compete against each other in a halftime soccer match. But, there's a catch- the team will have to play with a JUMBO soccer ball! For a complete list of promotions for Friday's match, please visit the Gator Outlook. |
Friday's match, the regular-season finale for both teams, is set to begin at 7 p.m. at the James G. Pressly Stadium. The match will air live on FS-Florida (Gainesville/Ocala Cox Cable channel 70 or 1070) with Mick Hubert and Matthew Stubbington calling the action.
These two teams met twice in 2010, with a league championship on the line both times. In the regular season finale, Florida and South Carolina met in Columbia, S.C., tied for the SEC lead. Florida scored off a Nicky Kit free kick just before halftime and that goal proved to be the game-winner. Just over a week later, the two teams met again in the SEC Tournament final in Orange Beach, Ala. Kit started the play with a service into the box in the 69th minute, but the Gamecocks had trouble on the clearance and scored an own goal. Florida took its ninth SEC Tournament title with a 1-0 margin.
| 2011 SEC Standings – Through Oct. 23 | ||||
| Eastern Division | SEC | Pts. | ALL | Pct. |
| South Carolina | 8-2-0 | 24.0 | 14-5 | .737 |
| Florida | 7-3-0 | 21.0 | 14-5 | .737 |
| Georgia | 6-2-2 | 20.0 | 12-4-2 | .722 |
| Tennessee | 6-4-0 | 18.0 | 13-5 | .722 |
| Kentucky | 5-5-0 | 15.0 | 12-6 | .667 |
| Vanderbilt | 2-8-0 | 6.0 | 8-10 | .444 |
| Western Division |
| |||
| LSU | 7-3-0 | 21.0 | 12-6-1 | .658 |
| Auburn | 5-4-1 | 16.0 | 11-5-2 | .667 |
| Alabama | 3-5-2 | 11.0 | 8-7-3 | .528 |
| Mississippi State | 3-6-1 | 10.0 | 6-9-3 | .417 |
| Mississippi | 3-7-0 | 9.0 | 7-10-1 | .417 |
| Arkansas | 2-8-0 | 6.0 | 4-13-0 | .235 |
| SEC Title Scenarios | ||||
| USC | Guaranteed at least a share of title | |||
| Outright win | Win or tie at Florida | |||
| Share title | Loss at Florida | |||
| Florida | Win versus USC | |||
| LSU | Win at Arkansas and loss by USC | |||
| Teams receive 3 points for a win, 1 point for a tie | ||||
Florida split in its two matches last week versus SEC Western Division rivals. Florida started the weekend Thursday with a 2-1 overtime win at Arkansas. Florida trailed after an early Razorback goal, but junior Brooke Thigpen hit the equalizer in the 74th minute. Thigpen's roommate on the Arkansas road trip, freshman Havana Solaun, headed in the cross from Lindsay Thompson at 91:24 for her sixth goal of the season and her first career golden goal.
A goal off a 30-yard shot by LSU senior Taryne Boudreau in Sunday's opening half was all the Tigers needed to claim their first win in the 15-match all-time series with Florida. The Gators outshot the Tigers 16-6 but couldn't score for the second time in the last three matches, falling to LSU 1-0.
USC is 14-5 in 2011, owns at least a share of the SEC title with its 8-2 record and moved back into the NSCAA poll this week at No. 22. Senior All-American Kayla Grimsley, the 2010 SEC Offensive Player of the Year, leads the Gamecocks in all offensive categories – nine goals and nine assists for 27 points. Her season assists total shares second in the league. She is the current SEC Offensive Player of the Week after posting five points last weekend in the Gamecocks' wins at LSU (4-1) and versus Arkansas (3-1).
The match can also be heard on WRUF SportsRadio 850, by simulcast on Cox Channel 946 (Gainesville/Ocala) or on www.GatorZone.com with Adam Schick calling the action.
