Ranked Test, Friday Home Stage: Gators Soccer Takes on Mississippi State

The Gators (5-5-3, 1-2-3 SEC) secured their first SEC victory of the season last Sunday, a 2-1 decision at Texas. Kai Tsakiris converted her penalty kick and became the Gators’ top scorer this season with four goals.

“I am so proud of all of us. We fought till the end, no doubt about it. We deserved that for sure,” Tsakiris said. “It’s never a one-woman job. Everyone is going through things together. I couldn’t do it without my teammates.”

Abby Gemma converted the second chance from the spot to mark her first collegiate goal as a sophomore.

“I wanted to step up. I like to carry myself with confidence, and I felt at that moment I could put it away for the team,” Gemma said. “We have grit. We fought the entire game.”

Mississippi State (9-2-1, 4-1-1) comes in with Top-25 credentials and one of the SEC’s most well-rounded offenses.

Senior midfielder Ally Perry leads the Bulldogs after a strong streak — a goal in five consecutive SEC matches before being limited at Arkansas — and received midseason Hermann Trophy watch-list recognition this week.

MSU’s 15-match SEC unbeaten streak ended Monday in a high-tempo game at No. 7 Arkansas, but the Bulldogs’ ceiling remained unchanged.

Under coach James Armstrong, they have achieved strong results with a direct, hard-running front line and an organized press that punishes loose touches.

For Florida, the key principles are clear: break pressure with the first pass, then quickly play forward to create space before the Bulldogs reset. Match MSU’s work rate on second balls and be precise on set pieces — a spot where UF has been consistent recently.

Keep an eye on Tsakiris between the lines and a Florida committee of versatile players who have contributed timely production lately. If the Gators can control transitions and keep Perry away from her favorite shooting spots, they have a chance at a statement home win.

Points earned against a ranked opponent would boost Florida’s late-season trajectory and SEC tournament seeding while testing its improved game management against one of the league’s trendsetters.

Kickoff is at 7 p.m. on the SEC Network+. Florida will honor its senior class in a post-match ceremony. 

Category: Gator Sports, Gators Soccer, SEC, Soccer