GAINESVILLE, Fla. - The Florida Gulf Coast University women's soccer team dropped a 2-1 decision to Florida in Gainesville on Thursday evening. FGCU's record fell to 2-2-1 on the young season.
The Eagles held their own throughout the match against their SEC foe, especially in the early going.
Erika Zschuppe took FGCU's first shot of the night in the eighth minute, and
Kendal Gargiula picked up the first shot on goal of the match for either team in the 12
th minute, forcing a save from Florida's Paloma Pena.
Lily Borders added two more tries for the Green and Blue and, through 25 minutes, FGCU out shot Florida 4-2.
The Gators broke through in the 33rd minute, however, when Sophia Sindelar tapped in a cross from the top of the six-yard box, giving Florida a 1-0 lead. The Eagles defense held the Gators to just two tries for the rest of the first half and went into halftime within one goal. Florida had seven shots, with Sindelar's tally being its only try on goal, and FGCU finished the frame with four shots and one on target.
The Eagles notched the first pair of shots of the second half, inducing one on goal from Borders. However, in the 61st minute, Florida's Charlotte McClure found the top right corner of the net to double the Gators lead to 2-0. The Eagles did not go quietly, however. Just 55 seconds later, sophomore
Kate Friday scored her first career goal with a left-footed strike from outside the 18-yard box into the top left corner. Borders picked up the assist on the score, her second of the season and third of the sophomore's career.
Across the final 29 minutes of the match, the Eagles attempted three shots in their effort to erase the deficit, but they were all blocked before they could get to the Gators' net. After no saves in the first 70 minutes, FGCU freshman goalkeeper
Madara Matrevica stopped four Florida tries in the final 20 minutes to keep her team in the game, but the Green and Blue could not find an equalizer on the other end. The Gators finished the match with 17 shots, 6 of which were on goal, while the Eagles attempted 11 and put three on net.
The Eagles (2-2-1, 0-0-0 ASUN) return to action on Sunday at 2 p.m. when they travel to Auburn to take on the Tigers. It will be the first time in program history that FGCU has faced a third SEC opponent in a single regular season, and second time when taking postseason into account, the other coming in 2014 when FGCU faced Auburn in the NCAA Tournament. In addition to Auburn and Florida, the Green and Blue also faced LSU on Aug. 21.
