GAINESVILLE, Fla. – A new season starts Sunday for Florida when it opens 2018 Southeastern Conference play with a home match versus Vanderbilt. Sunday's action begins 3 p.m. at the
Donald R. Dizney Stadium. Admission is free for all Gator regular-season home action.
Match Promotions:
Let Gators hear your support - first 500 fans receive thundersticks upon entry
Autographs – Gators sign autographs post-match
Watch the Player, Meet the Person – Coach
Becky Burleigh and select players meet with youth after match.
Here's how to follow the Gators:
Sunday's match is the first of three Gator televised matches. Drew Fellios and former U.S. National Team goalkeeper Jill Loyden call the action for the SEC Network.
Video: SEC Network +
Listen: Hear Kyle Crooks and Matthew Stubbington's call of Sunday's match on
ESPN Gainesville 98.1 FM / 850 AM
Stats: FloridaGators.com
Gators in Last Weekend's Action:
Last weekend, Florida suffered a pair of losses to in-state teams. In Tallahassee on Sept. 7, Florida played the final 23 minutes a man-down after senior
Laís Araujo received her second yellow card. Then five minutes later, senior center back
Rachelle Smith suffered her season-ending knee injury. Despite the challenges, the two teams looked to be headed for overtime until FSU's Denya Castellano took a hard 24-yard shot. Kristen McFarland's left-footed touch on the deflection scored from six yards in the 88th minute. It marked the ninth time in the last 12 meetings that a single goal decided the match.
Florida and UCF played 45 minutes Sunday in Orlando, but lightning forced the match to be abandoned (UCF led 3-0 in Sunday's meeting). The two teams met again Monday afternoon, with UCF taking a 3-0 win. It was UCF's first win over the Gators since 2011 NCAA First Round action.
Vanderbilt Quick Hits:
- Vanderbilt finished non-conference play with a 7-1 record. The Commodores opened the season with a 1-0 loss at then No. 10 Florida State and then ticked off seven consecutive victories.
- Redshirt freshman Haley Hopkins leads VU in points (13) and goals (5). Two VU goalkeepers have split play – Lauren Demarchi and Taiana Tolleson. Their play has helped the Commodores post a team goals-against-average of 0.38, which is tied for the 14th lowest in NCAA Division I play.
- Head Coach Darren Ambrose is in his fourth season with the Commodores.
2018 Records:
Florida: 2-5-1, 0-0 SEC
Vanderbilt: 7-1, 0-0 SEC
Series Record:
Florida leads 26-2-1.
In last meeting,
Florida took a 3-0 win in Nashville on Oct. 8, 2017.
Preseason Conference Votes:
Florida took third in the 2017 SEC regular-season standings. Vanderbilt was fourth in the 2018 SEC standings.
Florida – The
SEC coaches picked the Gators to win the 2018 Southeastern Conference title.
Vanderbilt – The Commodores are picked to finish ninth in 2018 SEC standings.
