GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Florida soccer finishes a three-match home stand Sunday versus Southeastern Conference rival Tennessee. Match time is set for 5 p.m. ET at the James G. Pressly Stadium. Admission is free for all Gator soccer home regular-season matches.
The first 500 fans Sunday get a Gator Soccer performance t-shirt. It is Gators Olympic Night and the first 50 kids receive 'Flags Around the World' hand fans. Come early to the match to meet and take a selfie with 2016 Olympians Andres Arroyo and Arman Hall. Pressly Stadium gates open at 4 p.m.
Last meeting:
When the two teams met in 2015, UF came from behind to take a 2-1 win at Tennessee on a soggy evening in Knoxville. The match was held for almost two hours due to lightning in the area. Tennessee scored first when Meghan Flynn hit a 12-yard shot to the upper far corner in the 22nd minute. Florida got on the scoreboard when
Rachelle Smith made an evasive move to beat her defender, allowing her bring the ball deep into the box. Her cross to the far post deflected back to above the six-yard box where
Brooke Sharp placed it in at 33:21. A pair of Gators connected to give Florida the final 2-1 margin.
Meggie Dougherty Howard received the ball just above the box from
Lauren Smith. Dougherty Howard turned toward goal and sent a short pass to the left to
Liz Slattery, who put in a low ball from 14 yards at 41:40.
Last Match:
The Gators were shutout 3-0 by Auburn in Thursday's home action. Auburn's Kristen Dodson took advantage of defensive miscues to score the first (23:30) and final (84:14) goals. Courtney Schell headed in a Brooke Ramsier corner kick in the 83rd minute for AU's second goal. It was Auburn's first win in its nine trips to Gainesville. Florida is now 8-1 versus the Tigers in home action and owns a 16-7-1 advantage in the all-time series.
Here's how to follow the Gators
Sunday's match is the second of five Gator matches airing live on the SEC Network. Mike Watts and Jordi Angeli will call the action. The match will also stream on
WatchESPN.
Fans can listen to Adam Schick and Matthew Stubbington's call of the action at ESPN Gainesville 95.3 or on
FloridaGators.com.
About the Tennessee Vols:
Tennessee comes into Sunday's match after three consecutive shutout wins – Middle Tennessee State (3-0 on Sept. 11), Missouri (2-0 on Sept. 15) and at Georgia (2-0 on Sept. 22). Shae Yanez and Jamie Simmons have each been in the net for a half in the Vols' last two matches. Simmons played the entirety of the Vols first seven matches. Midfielder Rylie O'Keefe leads the Vols with 14 points (four goals, six assists) which includes both goals in Thursday's win at Georgia. Senior Hannah Wilkinson is Tennessee's active scoring leader with 25 goals. She is a two-time Olympian, starting New Zealand's three matches in 2016 Olympic group action and also playing in three matches at the 2012 Olympics.
Florida owns a 16-8-3 advantage in the all-time series, but the Vols have won twice in league play held in Gainesville (2-1 UT win in Gainesville in both 2004 and 2006).
Brian Pensky is in his fifth season as Tennessee's head coach.
2016 Records:
Florida: 6-3, 1-2 SEC
UT: 6-4, 2-1 SEC
Preseason Conference Votes:
Florida swept the 2015 SEC titles (regular-season and tournament). Tennessee tied for ninth in 2015 SEC standings.
Florida – The Gators are picked to win the 2016 Southeastern Conference title.
UT – The Vols are picked to take ninth in the 2016 SEC.
Rankings:
Florida is ranked No. 12 on the latest
National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) poll.
