Florida Gators

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Florida soccer faces its first of three consecutive top-10 teams this Friday at 7 p.m. Florida meets 2017 NCAA runner-up and current No. 2 UCLA at the Donald R. Dizney Stadium. Admission is free for all Gator regular-season home action.
 
Florida is 4-4 all-time versus a team ranked No. 2 in the United Soccer Coaches poll. This is the first time UF has faced the No. 2 team in Gainesville.
 
There are four teams in the nation facing a pair of top-25 teams this weekend – and those four matches are in the Sunshine State. No. 22 Florida faces No. 2 UCLA (Friday) and No. 7 Southern California (Sunday). Those two Pac-12 teams are at No. 4 Florida State this weekend.
 
NCAA Title Coaches:
Leading the teams Friday are the first two women to lead their team to a NCAA title.
 
Florida's Becky Burleigh was the first in 1998 and UCLA's Amanda Cromwell became the second in 2013. In the 36-year history of NCAA Division I soccer, three women have coached the national title team (third is Penn State's Ericha Dambach/2015).
 
Match Promotions:
College Colors Day – wear your Orange and Blue to cheer the team on in this Top 25 match-up. The student who shows the most pride at the game will WIN a prize.
Autographs – the Gators sign autographs post-match
Watch the Player, Meet the Person – Coach Becky Burleigh and select Gator players meet with youth for a post-match talk
 
Here's how to follow the Gators:
Listen to Kyle Crooks and Matthew Stubbington's call of Friday's match while watching on SEC Network + or listen on FloridaGators.com.
 
Last Weekend:
Florida lost a pair of 1-0 decisions to teams with the initials "OSU" last weekend. On Friday, Florida lost at home to Ohio State. It was a scoreless opening half, thanks to a save off the line by defender Sammie Betters on OSU's Kayla Fischer's first shot of the match in the 18^th minute. But Fischer would eventually get the game-winner in the 56^th minute. She drove through the Florida half and then scored from six yards on a left-footed shot to the far corner.
Sunday at Oklahoma State, the Cowgirls' game-winner came in the 103^rd minute when Marlo Zoeller hit a 14-yard shot to the far post. It was the first loss for the Gators in the five-match series with Oklahoma State.
 
About the Bruins:
These two teams last met in early 2016 season action in Los Angeles, with the Gators taking a 4-3 overtime win. Including Friday's meeting, both teams ranked among the top 25 in each of their eight-match history. The Bruins last were in the Sunshine State for the 2017 NCAA College Cup in Orlando. UCLA lost 3-2 to Stanford in the title match.

UCLA comes into Friday's match after wins versus Long Beach State (1-0) and at No. 3 Penn State (2-1).

Both Florida and UCLA will be without 2018 MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List players Friday. Gator sophomore forward Deanne Rose and UCLA junior midfielder Jessie Fleming are with Canada's Senior National Team preparing for the Sept. 2 international friendly versus Brazil. They are the only two NCAA collegiate players on the Canada roster. The Bruins also have three others on the MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List – senior forward Hallie Mace, junior defender Kaiya McCullough and sophomore forward Ashley Sanchez.
 
Preseason Conference Votes:
Florida took third in the 2017 SEC regular-season standings. UCLA was second in the 2017 Pac-12 standings.
 
Florida – The SEC coaches picked the Gators to win the 2018 Southeastern Conference title.
 
UCLA – The Bruins are picked to finish second in the Pac-12. Defending NCAA champion Stanford is the Pac-12's preseason pick to win the league.
 
Rankings:
Florida ranks No. 22 on the Aug. 28 United Soccer Coaches (USC) poll and UCLA is No. 2.