BOCA RATON, Fla.  – Ninety minutes was not enough for Florida soccer's season opening match. Extra minutes were needed for the Gator soccer season opener as Florida took a 1-0 overtime win at Florida Atlantic Friday evening at the FAU Stadium.
  The Gators outshot the Owls 14-2, but it wasn't until midway through the first overtime Florida got one past FAU goalkeeper Jennifer Ocampo. Freshman Deanne Rose was fouled in the box, awarding the Gators a penalty kick.
 
Redshirt senior Gabby Seiler, who was just named Gator team captain at the pre-match meal, stepped up to take the kick. That shot provided Florida with the golden goal winner.
 
Worth Noting

• Gabby Seiler's goal was her second as a Gator and the 12^th of her collegiate career. She played for Georgia as a freshman and sophomore and sat out the 2015 season due to Southeastern Conference transfer rules.
• This was Florida's second appearance in Boca Raton in the six all-time meetings between the two programs. Florida also took an overtime win in that match, as future All-American and then freshman Tahnai Annis scored her first collegiate goal to give UF a 2-1 OT win on Aug. 24, 2008.
• Gator goalkeeper Susi Espinoza made her first collegiate appearance Friday. She did not appear in a match as a freshman in 2016. Kaylan Marckese, who played every minute of the 2016 season, missed Friday's opener due to a hand injury.
• In addition to Espinoza, four others made their first start for the Gators Friday – including true freshmen Madison Alexander and Deanne Rose. At least one Gator freshman has started 18 of the program's 23 season openers. Also among the starting Gators are two other newcomers. Parker Roberts transferred after playing at Kansas as a freshman in 2015, but sat out the 2016 collegiate season due to her U.S. Under-20 National Team commitment for the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup. Luís Araujo played at ASA Junior College in Brooklyn, N.Y., in 2014 and 2015 and sat out the 2016 collegiate season as she was captain of Brazil's U-20 World Cup team.
• Florida is now 17-4-2 all-time in season opening matches. This is the fifth consecutive season-opening win for UF.
• Seiler's goal is the second latest game-winner for the Gators in a season opener in the program's 23 seasons. Then freshman Taylor Travis hit the golden goal at 106:12 versus Miami to open the 2010 season with a 2-1 2OT home win. 
• Friday's crowd of 2,086 set FAU's women's soccer attendance record.

What the Gators Said:
On scoring the winning penalty kick:
"I just wanted to do it for my team. I thought we worked really hard the whole game. We just couldn't get it in the back of the net. I decided to take a deep breath and just finish it for all our hard work." – senior defender Gabby Seiler
 
On team's performance in the season opener:
"I thought we did some really great stuff. We created a lot of opportunities and credit to FAU for keeping them out of the back of the net. We had some really good 1v1, some good situations right in front of the net – I thought they did a good job defensively. We've got to clean up a few things, but it is the first game of the season and we certainly have a lot of room to grow." – Florida Head Coach Becky Burleigh
 
On getting the season started:
"For the freshmen and for everyone in general, it is very nerve-wracking. But once you get that out of the way, you can improve and go up from there." – senior defender Gabby Seiler 

Records:
Florida: 1-0-0, 0-0 SEC
Florida Atlantic: 0-1-0, 0-0 Conference USA
 
Preseason Conference Votes:
Florida tied for third in the 2016 SEC regular-season standings and won the SEC Tournament title. Florida Atlantic was fourth in 2016 Conference USA standings.
 
Florida – The SEC coaches picked the Gators to win the 2017 Southeastern Conference title.
 
FAU – The Owls are picked to finish fourth in the C-USA. North Texas is the C-USA's preseason pick to win the league.
 
Rankings:
Florida ranks No. 7 on the preseason United Soccer Coaches (USC) poll.
 
It is the 21^st consecutive Florida appearance in the coaches' association preseason poll and the sixth straight year the Gators open among the nation's top 10. Florida faces four teams ranked in the USC preseason top 25. Three of the matches are at home - No. 2 Stanford (Aug. 25), No. 4 South Carolina (Oct. 26) and No. 15 Florida State (Sept. 8). Florida travels to meet preseason No. 10 Auburn (Oct. 13).
 
Next up:
Florida opens home action Sunday by playing host to Troy. The Trojans lost 1-0 to Mercer in Friday evening's home action.
 
Match time is set for 1 p.m. at the James G. Pressly Stadium. Admission is free for all Gator soccer regular-season action.
 
The first 250 fans Sunday receive a Gator soccer cooling towel. UF students done with move-in should head over to Pressly Stadium to enjoy free pizza (first 100 students).
 
Listen to Kyle Crooks call of the match on ESPN Gainesville 98.1 FM / 850 AM or via GatorVision.com. The match can also be seen on SEC Network + (must be a SEC Network subscriber).
 
Florida (1-0-0, SEC 0-0-0) at Florida Atlantic (0-1-0, C-USA 0-0-0)
Stadium: FAU Stadium (2,086)
Weather: 86 degrees, winds ESE at 8 mph, 72% humidity
 

Goals by Period	1	2	OT	Total
Florida	0	0	1	1
Florida Atlantic	0	0	0	0

 
 Scoring Summary:

No.	Time	Team	Goal Scorer	Assist	Description
1.	95:41	UF	Gabby Seiler		Penalty Kick

 
Shots: Florida 14, FAU 2
Saves: Florida 1 (Susi Espinoza 0, Team 1), FAU (Jennifer Ocampo, 9)

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