Florida faces Vanderbilt Tuesday in SEC Soccer Tournament Quarterfinal

Tuesday, October 30

Orange Beach, AL

6 PM

Florida Gators

Vanderbilt

The Gators celebrate Madison Alexander's penalty kick goal versus Auburn in SEC Tournament Opening Round

Florida continues Southeastern Conference Tournament play Tuesday evening versus top-seeded Vanderbilt. The match airs live on the SEC Network at 6 p.m. ET.

Florida faces Vanderbilt Tuesday in SEC Soccer Tournament Quarterfinal

Monday, October 29, 2018 | Soccer

This is the eighth SEC Tournament meeting between these two programs, with the last coming in 2015.

By: Mary Howard

ORANGE BEACH, Ala. – Florida faces top-seeded Vanderbilt Tuesday in Southeastern Conference Tournament quarterfinal action. The UF-VU match begins at 6 p.m. ET at the Orange Beach Sportsplex. Purchase tickets at Orange Beach Sportsplex gate.

Here's how to follow the Gators:
Television: The entire nine-match SEC Tournament air live on the SEC Network. Tuesday's announce team includes a pair of U.S. National Team alums – Jill Loyden and Gator Great Heather Mitts, along with Jenn Hildreth.
Video Stream: SEC Network +
Listen: Hear call of Tuesday's match by Kyle Crooks and Matthew Stubbington on ESPN Gainesville 98.1 FM / 850 AM
Stats: FloridaGators.com

Gators in Sunday's Action:
Florida advanced to the SEC Tournament quarterfinals with a 2-1 penalty kick decision over Auburn Sunday. Florida's sophomore Madison Alexander drew and then successfully converted Florida's first penalty kick of the season in the 20^th minute. The Gators played the final 54 minutes a man down after senior Sarah Troccoli received a red card. Auburn tied the match in the 74^th minute when Taylor Troutman headed in a corner kick.

After overtime minutes extinguished, penalty kicks decided the advancing team. Senior goalkeeper Kaylan Marckese stopped the first AU kick and then hit Florida's first PK. Marckese stopped three of AU's five attempts (other two – one wide, one good). UF prevailed 2-1 on PKs, marking the second advancement in the team's five PK SEC Tournament situations. UF was also successful in its last PK situation (2016 vs Missouri in quarterfinal).

Last Meeting Between UF-Vanderbilt:
Florida dropped a 2-1 home match to Vanderbilt to open 2018 SEC play. Vanderbilt's Kaylann Boyd scored the only goal of the first half off a 30-yard shot in the 13th minute. Senior Laís Araujo's goal in the 78th minute off the assist from Deanne Rose tied the match. Vanderbilt's game-winner in the 88th minute came when Caroline Saltmarsh sent a corner-kick clearance ahead to Paola Ellis who put it in from five yards.

Vanderbilt Quick Hits:

No. 7 Vanderbilt opened the season with a 1-0 loss at then No. 10 Florida State and then clicked off 13 consecutive victories before a scoreless tie versus then No. 9 South Carolina. VU clinched the SEC title with a match remaining in the league schedule and was still three points ahead of runner-up Tennessee despite its 1-0 loss at Mississippi in the regular-season finale.
Haley Hopkins, the 2018 SEC Freshman of the Year, leads the Commodores in all offensive categories – goals (12), assists (6) and points (30).
Junior Lauren Demarchi, has appeared in every match and played the entirety of the last eight. Her 0.364 goals-against-average is No. 5 in NCAA Division I standings.
Darren Ambrose, the 2018 SEC Coach of the Year, is in his fourth season as Vanderbilt's head coach.