Defense Can't Rest in Seniors Quest for SEC Title
Thursday, October 22, 2015 | Soccer
By Taryn Bray
GatorZone Writing Intern
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – One point is all that separates six different teams at the top of the Southeastern Conference standings.
The Florida Gators' last three matches of the season are crucial. They host South Carolina Thursday night, Arkansas Sunday and finish off the regular season at Georgia next week.
But Sunday's match is more than an important conference game, it's also Senior Day and for UF defenders Christen Westphal and Claire Falknor, along with midfielder Lauren Smith, it means their final time playing in front of the home crowd, baring an NCAA Tournament hosting.
“I don't think it's really hit me yet,” said Falknor, the three-year starter from Dayton, Ohio. “I don't like to think of myself as an emotional person, so I'm not sure if I'll cry, but I guess we'll see.”
For Westphal, the classmate and fellow Ohioan (Brecksville), Sunday will be a family affair. Her entire immediate family, as well as extended family from Pittsburgh, will be in attendance.
“It means a lot to me that they're all coming,” she said. “They don't get to see me play a lot and experience it, so it will make the night a lot more special to me.”
Smith, from Eustis, Fla., has started 10 of her 11 games this season and 51 of 64 in her career and excels defensively from her midfield spot.
Senior defender Claire Falknor on the attack against Oklahoma State earlier this season.
Christen Westphal has rarely come off the field in her four UF seasons.
Midfielder Lauren Smith in the rain against Tennessee.
What lies ahead for the three is uncertain, though opportunities could present themselves to play professionally once the Florida season is over. That means entering the National Women's Soccer League college draft taking place in January.
Last year, Havana Solaun was the only Gator selected in the 2015 NWSL draft. Solaun was taken at 15th overall by Seattle Reign FC. Westphal and Falknor are hoping to follow in her footsteps.
“I've talked to alumni about their experiences and they've told me how different it is playing professionally,” said Westphal, a four-year starter who's averaged nearly 88 minutes per game since she arrived on campus as a freshmen in 2012. “It's the real world and your job now. You need to make a living out of it.”
But not now.
The immediate focus is the date with South Carolina and preferably padding a four-game winning streak that has positioned the Gators for a run at the SEC title.
Focusing on the next game is something the Gators have stressed as of late.
“We talked about it this week at practice,” Westphal said. “The next game is the most important game because every single [one] plays a huge role in the outcome of our season.”
Early in the season, the Gators had disappointing losses to Texas A&M and at Auburn that made them do some self-evaluating, but they've bounced back and are in position to capture the regular season SEC title.
Last year, they finished in second in the SEC regular-season standings and fell short against Tennessee in the SEC Tournament, so winning a piece of the SEC title would mean a lot to this senior class.
“It'd be really nice especially because the past few years we haven't finished as great as we had hoped,” Falknor said.
Added Westphal: “It would definitely be cool. At the beginning, we were iffy we would even be in this position right now so we're just going to take the opportunity and run with it.”
Although they have made some great strides since the beginning of the season, there are areas they feel they can improve on before the post-season begins. Some of those things Westphal mentioned included making simpler decisions, relying on their passing ability and not "freaking out" if things aren't going their way.
Falknor said they've been trying to work on finishing games defensively. In each of the last two games, the Gators were seconds from registering shutouts, only to surrender goals in the final minutes.
Because all three seniors are defensive specialists, they take those late-game goals personally.
“Giving up late goals is something that we're going to need more focus and discipline on to take care of those issues going forward,” head coach Becky Burleigh said. “But it says something about a team when they aren't satisfied with just a win.”
