No. 5 Florida Soccer Faces No. 19 Auburn in SEC Tournament Semifinal Friday
Thursday, November 5, 2015 | Soccer
ORANGE BEACH, Alabama – Florida faces Auburn on Friday in 2015 Southeastern Conference Soccer Tournament semifinal round action. Match time is set for 4:30 p.m. at the Orange Beach SportsPlex.
| Friday's Match Info: |
| No. 5 Florida (15-3-1, 8-2-1 SEC) versus No. 19 Auburn (14-4-1, 7-4 SEC) Date & Time: Nov. 6 @ 4:30 p.m. ET
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The Gators are the tournament's top seed, but one of its two losses in 2015 league play came at No. 4 seed Auburn in late September.
Here's how to follow the Gators
Can't be in Orange Beach for Friday's match? Here's how to follow the action:
· Watch the match live on SEC Network beginning at 4:30 p.m. ET. Gator Great and past U.S. National Team member Heather Mitts and Glenn Davis will call the action
· Follow the stream of the Florida-AU match on WatchESPN
· Hear Adam Schick and Matthew Stubbington's call of Friday's match on GatorZone.com.
Regular-Season Meeting Between Florida and AU:
When the two teams met on Sept. 27 in Auburn, the Tigers led 2-0 early in the second half after Casie Ramsier and Kristen Dodson each scored within a two-minute span. Savannah Jordan scored on a penalty kick and off an assist from Meggie Dougherty Howard to tie the match in the 73rd minute. But AU's Casie Ramsier scored again late, putting in a right-footed shot off a corner kick with 25 seconds left in regulation to give the Tigers the win.
Florida leads the all-time series with Auburn 15-6-1. Six of the last nine matches between these two teams were decided by a single goal and two of those meetings in that span went to overtime.
Gators in Wednesday's SEC Quarterfinal Action:
Both teams advanced to the Friday's semifinal with come-from-behind efforts in Wednesday's quarterfinal round. Florida reached the program's 18th SEC Tournament semifinal after a 2-1 win over No. 8 seed Vanderbilt. The Commodores' Simone Charley scored first with a 17-yard angled shot to the far post at 8:04. The Gators tied the match in the 25th minute. Freshman Gaby Rivera brought the ball from the right side to the just above the VU box. She sent a pass to Dougherty Howard located a bit above the box. Dougherty Howard took a hard shot which Jordan deflected in from seven yards with her right foot. The tie was broken at 75:12 when Pamela Begič headed in a corner kick sent by Christen Westphal.
The goal by Jordan pushed her career total to 61 – which moves her into sole possession of fourth on Florida's and SEC career charts. Jordan is the first Gator to move into the program's top four for career goals in 14 seasons as Florida's two leaders – Abby Wambach (96) and Andi Sellers (71) both finished their collegiate careers in 2001.
Two Gators are among the SEC offensive leaders. Jordan leads in goals (20) and points (45) while Westphal tops the assist list (11). Sharp also checks in tied for seventh for goals (10) and eighth in points (24). Jordan is in the nation's top three for goals and points. Westphal is among nation's top 10 with her 11 assists.
About the AU Tigers:
Auburn tied for third in 2015 SEC play with its 7-4 league record. The Tigers are the No. 4 seed as Mississippi also posted a 7-4 record, but the Rebels won the 2015 regular-season meeting between two teams, giving UM the No. 3 seed.
The Tigers came from two goals down to tie No. 16 South Carolina in Wednesday's quarterfinal play, pushing the match to overtime. The two teams tied at 2-all and Auburn claimed a 5-3 penalty kick advantage to advance to Friday's semifinal.
AU has met six top-25 opponents this season and owns a 3-2-1 in those matches (No. 24 LSU 3-2 2OT win, No. 9 Florida 3-2 win, No. 10 South Carolina 0-2 loss, No. 17 Texas A&M 2-0 win, No. 21 Mississippi 2-0 loss, No. 16 USC 2-2 2OT tie).
Junior Casie Ramsier, a 2015 All-SEC first team selection, leads the Tigers with 12 goals and 26 points. Karen Hoppa is in her 17th season as head of the Tiger program.
SEC Honors Gators:
Five Gators appear on 2015 All-Southeastern Conference teams, including three on the first team. Jordan is the SEC Offensive Player of the Year and Christen Westphal is the SEC Defensive Player of the Year. Joining them on the All-SEC first team is center back Claire Falknor. Midfielder Meggie Dougherty Howard earned All-SEC second team honors. Midfielder Mayra Pelayo appears on the SEC All-Freshman team.
Team Records:
Florida: 15-3-1, 8-2-1 SEC – SEC Tournament No. 1 seed
AU: 14-4-1, 7-4 SEC – SEC Tournament No. 4 seed
Rankings:
Florida is ranked No. 5 on the November 3 National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) poll and Auburn is No. 19.
