Gators Soccer Upsets No. 12 Mississippi State for Second SEC Win
It was a misty and windy Friday night in Gainesville, but Florida still managed to shine.
Florida hosted No. 12 Mississippi State, securing its first SEC win at home this season and upsetting the Bulldogs, 2-1.
This was the Gators’ second consecutive SEC win and fifth-consecutive match unbeaten, as well as their highest-ranked win under coach Samantha Bohon.
“At the end of the day, Mississippi State is a really good team,” Bohon said. “They’re ranked top 12 for a reason and so, obviously, this is a good result for us.”
In the first half, both teams took the pitch with hunger and aggression. In the 18th minute, the Bulldogs had a chance and they capitalized.
Mississippi State’s Tatum Borman drove the ball up the field, making contact with Zoe Main, who sent Florida keeper Paloma Peña the wrong way to put the Bulldogs on the board.
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Then the Gators came chomping back. With just five minutes left in the first half, Kai Tsakiris crossed the ball towards the center of the box, where Sophia Sindelar was waiting for the pass. Her shot found the back right corner of the net, tying the game 1-1, marking Sindelar’s third goal of the season.
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The Gators did not slow down from there. In the opening five minutes of the second half, Lena Bailey crossed the ball from the right of the net over to Addy Hess. She took a shot with her right foot which was deflected by the Bulldogs’ goalkeeper Sarah Wommack.
After a rebound, Hess quickly regained possession and immediately took another shot. This time, she found the back right of the net, giving the Gators only their second lead in SEC play at that point.
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“Lena cooked and did her thing, got past her defender, crossed it to me,” Hess said. “Lena really worked hard to get that ball across to me, perfectly to my feet.”
It was quite the fight through the remainder of the game, turning into a very physical affair after Florida’s second goal.
With about 33 minutes left in the game, Charlotte McClure was issued a yellow card for a physical altercation. She traded blows with Ally Perry, the Bulldogs’ best offensive weapon.
After video review, McClure’s yellow card turned into a red card, but she was not alone to blame. The referee kept his red card in the air, gesturing at Perry, ejecting both players from the game.
Just a few moments later, Mississippi State’s associate head coach Jonathan Garbar was issued a yellow card for his interactions and outbursts on the sidelines. In the last 19 minutes of the game, the Gators’ Katie Johnston was also issued a yellow card for a physical altercation near the goal.
The aggression did not stop, but Paloma Peña would not back down. Peña had several saves within the last 10 minutes of the game, allowing Florida to holding the lead.
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The Gators handed the Bulldogs their first loss against an SEC team since losing to LSU in September of 2023.
Friday night also marked senior night for Gators soccer. In a post-match ceremony, seniors Njeri Butts, Lauren McCloskey, McClure and Tatum O’Coyne were honored.
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Florida continues its road to the SEC tournament, fighting to remain in the top 12 of the conference in order to qualify. The Gators will hit the road Thursday to take on Tennessee (11-1-2, 5-1-1), the second-best team in the SEC.
Category: Gainesville, Gator Sports, Gators Soccer, SEC, Soccer, University of Florida
