GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The University of Florida soccer team finishes its 2016 regular-season home slate Sunday when it faces Mississippi State. Match time is set for 1 p.m. at the
Donald R. Dizney Stadium and admission is free.
Sunday is also Gator Senior Day and the careers of Florida's eight-member senior class -
Pamela Begic, Meggie Dougherty Howard, Savannah Jordan, Betsy Middleton, Erika Nelson, Brooke Sharp, Liz Slattery and
Valerie Tysinger - will be celebrated in a pre-match ceremony. This class has amassed a four-year record of 65-17-4 (0.779) and that win total is tied for No. 5 among the nation's senior classes.
Match Promotions:
- The first 500 fans Sunday get a complete packet of 2016 Gator Senior Cards!
- Bring a canned or dry food item to contribute to food drive benefitting UF's Field & Fork Pantry
Here's how to follow the Gators
Can't be at Dizney Stadium on Sunday? Watch the stream of the Mississippi State at UF match on
SEC Network +, beginning at 1 p.m.
Hear Matthew Stubbington's call Sunday at
FloridaGators.com.
Two Places to Call Home
During the course of the Gators' eight home-match schedule, the team play at two venues –
James G. Pressly Stadium and
Dizney Stadium. Florida's final two matches of the 2016 regular season – Oct. 20 versus Alabama and Oct. 23 versus Mississippi State - will be played at Dizney Stadium.
Playing at Dizney Stadium during the regular season gives Florida venue options if the Gators are fortunate to be in position to host post-season action. A team needs to play at least two matches at a venue to have that site eligible for post-season play.
Last meeting:
When Florida and Mississippi State met in Starkville in 2015, the Gators took a 2-1 win. All the Gator scoring came in the opening half, with
Brooke Sharp putting the through ball from
Christen Westphal in during the eighth minute. In the 26th minute,
Savannah Jordan sent the ball from the six-yard box to
Meggie Dougherty Howard. Her shot from the top of the box curled in at the upper left corner. The Bulldogs broke up the shutout when Kennadi Carbin scored with three seconds remaining.
The Gators in Thursday's Action:
Fans at the Dizney Stadium Thursday were treated to scoring fireworks during the match and then a post-match fireworks display. Six different Gators scored in the 6-0 win over Alabama, marking the third time in 2016 Florida has turned in five or more goals.
First half scorers were
Savannah Jordan and
Melanie Monteagudo.
Meggie Dougherty Howard scored on Florida's fourth penalty kick attempt of the season to open second-half scoring. Then in less than four minutes, Florida scored three goals from
Brooke Sharp,
Pamela Begic and
Kit Loferski. The shutout was Florida's fifth of the season and fourth of the last six matches.
About the Mississippi State Bulldogs:
Mississippi State is 6-10 this season and is tied for 13th in the current Southeastern Conference standings with a 1-8 league record. Junior Mallory Eubanks leads MSU in points (7) and assists (3) and shares the goals (2) lead with three other Bulldogs. Junior Tanya de Souza has played all but 90 minutes in goal for MSU this season and owns a 1.60 goals against average. Aaron Gordon is in his fourth season as head coach of the MSU program.
Soccer is the last sport between the two programs that will be contested as
Scott Stricklin as the MSU Athletics Director. He becomes the 14th athletic director in UF history on November 1.
2016 Records:
Florida: 11-4, 6-3 SEC
MSU: 6-10, 1-8 SEC
Current SEC standings: Florida is fourth with a 6-3 record and Mississippi State is tied for 13th with a 1-8 record.
Rankings:
Florida is ranked No. 20 on the latest
National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) poll.
