ATHENS, Ga. – The first goals of the season for three Gators gave the University of Florida soccer team a 3-0 win at Georgia Sunday evening in front of a Turner Soccer Complex crowd of 2,109.


 
How the Goals Were Scored:
The match was scoreless after the opening half, with the Bulldogs owning a 5-4 advantage in shots. That turned in the second half, as Florida put up a 14-3 shots advantage in the final 45 minutes.
 
Three Gators turned in their first goals of the season, with the final two goals registering as collegiate firsts.
 
Junior Briana Solis took advantage of her opportunity to take the free kick, scoring on a 22-yard shot to put the Gators on the scoreboard in the 54^th minute.
 
Another set play in the 61^st minute ended with senior Cassie Owens scoring her first Gator goal. Solis' corner kick was headed at the near post by Gabby Seiler. The deflection of that shot landed at the middle of the goal, where Owens placed it in from four yards.
 
Florida's scoring closed in the 87^th minute when a UGA defender tried to play the ball back to UGA goalkeeper Louise Hogrell. Gator freshman Madison Alexander and Hogrell were in a race to get to the ball high in the box. The ball deflected off Alexander and then hit the near post. The ball traveled across the face of the goal. Alexander caught up and placed the ball in at the far post for her first Gator goal.  
 
Worth Noting

• Goals from three different players gives Florida 11 who have scored at least one goal this season.
• With her assist on Owen's goal, Seiler now shares Florida's points lead (13) with freshman Deanne Rose.
• Alexander's goal at 86:36 is the latest for the Gators in regulation play. Florida has two overtime goals in 2017.
• Florida turned in its sixth shutout of 2017. It was the 17^th solo shutout of junior goalkeeper Kaylan Marckese's career.
• This was the 32^nd meeting between the two league rivals (the most of any UF rival) and UF leads the all-time series 29-2-1.

 
Records:
Florida: 9-2-0, 3-1 SEC
Georgia: 4-7-1, 0-4 SEC
 
 
 
What the Gators Said:
On the differences in halves:
"I think the biggest adjustment we made in the second half is that we just did a better job of offering offensively for one another. Once we did that, combined with I think tiring them out in the first half, that was a lot for Georgia to handle. That's when we got our breakthrough." – Florida Head Soccer Coach Becky Burleigh
 
On three Gators scoring their first goals of 2017 (or of career):
"It was really exciting to see three different people score who haven't scored before. That was really cool." – Florida Head Soccer Coach Becky Burleigh
 
What happened on your goal?
"It was a free kick. I usually don't take them so I was excited to get the opportunity. Gabby [Seiler] and Mayra [Pelayo] told me to just hit it in there. There was some debate about whether to go near post or far post. I just kind of hit it, trying to go toward near post. It deflected off the other team and went in." – junior midfielder Briana Solis
 
What happened on your goal? How did it feel to score your first Gator goal?
"We had a corner and Gabby Seiler had a really good header. It was on the line so it was a tap-in.
 
"Just to be on the field playing for this team is super exciting. So to get a goal for this team is really, really exciting for me." - senior Cassie Owens
 
You finished off today's scoring with your first Gator goal.
"Mel [Monteagudo] was pressing down the line and that caused the girl to play it back to the goalie. I just pressed the goalie hard and it deflected off me but it hit the post. I just kept running and it was a wide open net.
 
"So exciting to get my first goal. All week we've been working on pressing so it is nice for it to pay off." – freshman Madison Alexander
 
How did the Gators do today?
"I think in the second half we did great. We were offering for each other and connecting the ball." – freshman Madison Alexander.
 
Preseason Conference Votes:
Florida tied for third in the 2016 SEC regular-season standings and won the SEC Tournament title. The Bulldogs finished eighth in the SEC at 3-8 and posted a final record of 6-11-1.
 

• Florida – The SEC coaches picked the Gators to win the 2017 Southeastern Conference title.
• Georgia – The Bulldogs are picked to place 13th in the SEC.

 
Rankings:
Florida ranks No. 10 on the United Soccer Coaches (USC) poll.
 
Next up:
Florida returns home to play host to Missouri (5-7-1, 1-3 SEC) on Thursday for its Kicking for the Cure match (cancer awareness). Match time is 6 p.m. at the James G. Pressly Stadium. School colors will be set aside as the Gators will wear pink Thursday to show their support for the fight against breast cancer.
 
Missouri lost 5-3 at Vanderbilt on Friday.
 
The first 250 fans receive a pink Kicking for the Cure t-shirt. Take advantage of the Thursday Night Soccer Concession special - 12 ounce drink and a large popcorn for just $1 each.
 
Florida (9-2-0, 3-1 SEC) and Georgia (4-7-1, 0-4 SEC)
Stadium: Turner Soccer Complex (2,109)
Weather: 72 degrees, winds ENE 6 mph, 46% humidity
 

Goals by Period	1	2		Total
Florida	0	3		3
Georgia	0	0		0

 
Scoring Summary:

No.	Time	Team	Goal Scorer	Assist	Description
1.	53:53	UF	Briana Solis		22yd free kick
2.	60:36	UF	Cassie Owens	Gabby Seiler, Briana Solis	Corner kick headed by Seiler; Owens puts in deflection
3.	86:36	UF	Madison Alexander		Presses keeper and puts in deflection off shot

 
Shots: Florida 18, Georgia 8
Saves: Florida 5 (Kaylan Marckese 5), Georgia 3 (Louise Hogrell 3)