Florida Soccer Hosts South Florida on Saturday

The Florida Gators Soccer team (3-7-1) will host the South Florida Bulls (2-0) on Saturday, Feb. 27, at 6 p.m. This is the second match of the spring season for Florida.

USF is 2-0 on the season. They did not participate in the 2020 fall season. The Bulls have defeated FAU, 3-0 and Temple, 2-0.

The Gators are 6-1-1 all-time versus South Florida. The Bulls won the last match in 2019, 4-2, in the NCAA First Round.

Not only will Saturday be for revenge but for celebration. Florida will honor eight players careers on Gator Soccer Senior Day in a pre-match ceremony. Those players include:

• Madison Alexander
• Carina Baltrip-Reyes
• Susi Espinoza
• Lauren Evans
• Kit Loferski
• Ashley Pietra
• Parker Roberts
• Deanne Rose

Last Match

Florida defeated the College of Charleston in the spring season opener, 5-1.

The Gators were able to control the match early. Florida led 2-0 at the half. The first goal for UF came from a corner kick pass from Laney Steed and finished with a header by Florida’s leading scorer Parker Roberts. The second goal of the first half came off a Maddy Rhodes penalty kick, moments after she was subbed into the match.

The next four goals came in a flurry of nine minutes:

• 63′ Beatta Olsen for UF scores her first career collegiate goal, assisted by Madison Alexander.
• 66′ Kacey Smekrud scores for College of Charleston
• 68′ Delaney Tauzel scores for UF, her first of the season. Assisted by Laney Steed, her second of the match.
• 72′ Beata Olsson scores again for UF on a rocket shot. Assisted by Ava Kuyken.

Gators handled business the rest of the way, winning handedly 5-1.

https://twitter.com/GatorsSoccer/status/1363249713261146112

What to Expect

A well-balanced team is to be expected. USF is currently ranked No. 18 by TopDrawerSoccer.com.

The Bulls have not allowed a goal yet this season. Although, goalkeeper Sydney Martinez only has one save on the season. Temple did not even register a shot on goal against USF. Martinez was in goal the last time UF and USF faced off in 2019.

In their match against Temple, the Owls were held without a shot until the 44^th minute and only tallied two on the afternoon, with neither going on goal. To go with their stellar defensive showing, the Bulls also totaled 24 shots on the afternoon, with 12 of them being on goal. Statistically, this is a domination by USF.

Expect a competitive match on Saturday. Maybe some extra motivation for Florida with it being senior night and a revenge game from the last time these two schools faced off.