GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Season-opening weekend action continues for Florida this Sunday with a match versus Florida Atlantic. Match time is 6 p.m. at the
Donald R. Dizney Stadium and admission is free for all Gator regular-season home action.
Florida's Fan-tastic Weekend:
Florida's match Sunday closes Florida's Fan-tastic Weekend.
Sunday's Promotions – vs Florida Atlantic at 6 p.m.
Faith and Family Night – all faiths invited to attend the game
Here's how to follow the Gators:
Listen to Kyle Crooks and Matthew Stubbington's call of Sunday's match while watching on
SEC Network +.
Ryan Urquhart and Gator alum Daniela Sanchez covers Sunday's match for
ESPN Gainesville 98.1 FM / 850 AM – also can hear on FloridaGators.com.
In Friday's Season Opener:
Florida opened the 2018 campaign with
a 2-1 win over the Pac-12's Washington.
The Huskies took a 1-0 lead into halftime after Ruby Hellstrom scored from eight yards on a play that started with a corner kick.
Junior
Sammie Betters tied the match in the 54
th minute when she scored an upper slot goal from 16 yards off assists from
Cassidy Lindley and
Sarah Troccoli. Sophomore
Madison Alexander pressured a pass between UW goalkeeper and center back. When the ball popped free, Alexander was first to it and scored on the empty goal from 10 yards.
It was Florida's 18
th season-opening win in the program's 24-year history.
About the Owls:
Florida Atlantic and Florida also met in 2017 early season action, with UF taking a 1-0 OT win at FAU to open the campaign. Florida Atlantic turned in an 11-8-2 record in 2017 and took sixth in Conference USA with a 5-4-1 record.
In the 2018 C-USA coaches preseason poll, FAU is picked to finish fifth. The Owls return their 2017 leaders for goals (5 - Ebba Blomqvist) and points (12 - Pernille Velta). They also return Jennifer Ocampo, who played every minute in goal for the 2017 Owls, turning in a 1.02 goals against average.
In Friday's season opener in Boca Raton,
FAU lost 3-2 to Miami.
Patrick Baker is in his sixth season as FAU's head coach.
Preseason Conference Votes:
Florida took third in the 2017 SEC regular-season standings. Florida Atlantic was sixth in the 2017 Conference USA standings.
Florida – The
SEC coaches picked the Gators to win the 2018 Southeastern Conference title.
FAU – The Owls are picked to finish
fifth in Conference USA. Rice is 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 22
nd consecutive Florida appearance in the coaches' association preseason poll and the seventh straight year the Gators open among the nation's top 10. Florida faces seven teams ranked in the United Soccer Coaches preseason top 25.
The Dizney Stadium is the site for four of those matches - No. 2 UCLA (Aug. 31), No. 12 Southern California (Sept. 2), No. 23 Ohio State (Aug. 24) and No. 25 Tennessee (Oct. 4). Florida travels to meet preseason No. 5 South Carolina (Oct. 7), No. 10 Florida State (Sept. 7) and No. 16 Central Florida.
