LOS ANGELES, Calif. – No. 5 Southern California gave Florida soccer its first loss of 2019, claiming a 3-1 win Thursday in the nightcap of the Battle at the Banc competition at the Banc of California Stadium.
Thursday marked the first collegiate soccer competition at the Banc of California Stadium, which is the home of Major League Soccer's Los Angeles FC. The stadium opened in April of 2018.
Thursday's scoring:
Southern Cal scored twice in a six-minute opening half span to take a 2-0 halftime lead. The first came in the 30
th minute when Tara McKeown put in Alea Hyatt's free kick off the scrum in front of the goal.
Arlie Jones put in the deflection off Savianna Gomez's shot in the 36
th minute to open up a 2-0 USC lead.
The first Gator goal for senior
Alex Stubblebine cut the Trojan's lead late in the opening half.
Kit Loferski's pass found Stubblebine and her defender fell as Stubblebine moved toward goal above the center of the box. Stubblebine took advantage of the space to score on a 22-yard strike to the far post at 41:57.
McKeown opened up the second half scoring at 59:15 with her second goal of the night. Penelope Hocking sent a diagonal ball through the box that McKeown caught up to before hitting a right-footed shot at the top corner of the six-yard box.
Worth Noting
- Stubblebine scored her first Gator goal tonight and her first goal since Oct. 30, 2016 versus Temple as a Cincinnati freshman. Stubblebine transferred to Florida for the 2017 season, but injury limited her participation in her first two seasons with the Gators.
- Stubblebine's strike at 41:57 was Florida's first goal of 2019 in the opening half of play. Coming into tonight, four Gator goals came in the second half and one in overtime.
- The Gators are halfway through their challenging four-match road stretch versus top-20 teams. Tonight, the Gators started a three match stretch versus top-5 teams in an eight-day span – No. 5 USC, No. 4 UCLA and No. 1 Florida State.
- Two starting Gators are not with the team in Los Angeles this week. Sophomore defender Georgia Eaton-Collins is with England's Under-21 National Team for Nordic Cup play. Freshman midfielder Ava Kuyken is also back in England for a U19 national team camp.
Records:
Florida: 2-1-0, 0-0-0 SEC
No. 5 Southern California: 3-0-0, 0-0-0 Pac-12
What the Gators Said:
On tonight's match:
"We gave up three goals on restarts - two throw-ins and one free kick. Throw-in are especially something that we work on so that was a little disappointing. But thought in the second half we had some really good opportunities. Our press was effective against them. We were unlucky not to get one or two more.
"I think this is a game that we can really, really grow from. I'm glad we are playing this kind of schedule because it will really help us in the long run." – Florida Head Coach
Becky Burleigh
What happened on your goal – which is also the first of your Gator career?
"I was just outside of the 18 and the ball got served in. Kit (Loferski) had her back to goal and she set it perfectly. I just took a touch, got by the defender and took a shot – and it went in!
"It felt amazing! I can't believe it. Growing up, I never thought I'd be playing here and to be able to score is really awesome." – senior midfielder
Alex Stubblebine
Next Up:
Florida continues play versus top-five ranked teams this Sunday at No. 4 UCLA. Match time is 8 p.m. ET at the
Wallis Annenberg Stadium.
Listen to Kyle Crooks call of Sunday's match on FloridaGators.com. The match airs live on the
Pac-12 Network.
UCLA is one of three Pac-12 teams currently ranked among the
United Soccer Coaches top five. The Bruins opened tonight's Battle at the Banc with a 2-1 win versus No. 1 Florida State.
Florida (2-1-0, SEC 0-0-0) at No. 5 Southern California (3-0-0, 0-0-0 Pac-12)
Stadium: Banc of California Stadium (3,529)
Weather: 75 degrees, winds SW at 6 mph, 60% humidity
| Goals by Period |
1 |
2 |
Total |
| Florida |
1 |
0 |
1 |
| Southern California |
2 |
1 |
3 |
Scoring Summary:
| No. |
Time |
Team |
Goal Scorer |
Assist |
| 1. |
29:02 |
USC |
Tara McKeown |
Alea Hyatt |
| 2. |
35:35 |
USC |
Arlie Jones |
Savianna Gomez |
| 3. |
41:57 |
UF |
Alex Stubblebine |
Kit Loferski |
| 4. |
59:15 |
USC |
Tara McKeown |
Penelope Hocking |
|
|
|
|
|
Shots: Florida 12, Southern California 14
Saves: Florida 2 (
Susi Espinoza 2), Southern California 5 (Anna Smith 5)
