Thursday, October 8
Gainesville, FL
7 p.m.
Florida Gators
vs
Alabama
Addy Hess (#9) and Zoe Main (#7) celebrate Main's goal last week versus LSU. The Gators face their third top-five team of the season Thursday whn No.5 Alabama comes to Dizney Stadium for a match airing on the SEC Network. [Photo by Audrey Djuricich]
Florida Hosts No. 5 Alabama Thursday
Tuesday, October 6, 2026 | Soccer
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Florida soccer (5-4-3, 1-2-2 SEC) faces its third opponent ranked in the top five this season Thursday when No. 5 Alabama visits Donald R. Dizney Stadium. The Gators defeated then-No. 3 Florida State 3-1 on Aug. 23 and lost 2-1 to then-No. 5 Wake Forest on Sept. 6.
Thursday, Oct. 8 versus No. 5 Alabama (12-1-0, 5-0-0 SEC)
Time/Site: 7 p.m. at Donald R. Dizney Stadium
TV: SEC Network Jill Loyden and Mike Watts with the call
Radio: 850 AM WRUF Sky Lebron and Ryan Urquhart with the call
Live Stats
Admission: Free
Promotions: Arrive early to complete your Gators match-day look: The first 250 fans receive a Gators soccer visor.
Admission is free for all Gator soccer regular-season home matches. 2026 Florida Soccer Promotions
Did You Know?
All but three SEC teams have faced a top-10 opponent or are scheduled to face one this weekend.
Thursday's match against No. 5 Alabama will be Florida's third against an opponent ranked in the top 10 at the time of the match, the most among SEC teams.
Five SEC teams appear in the Oct. 6 IWSOC top 25. Florida and Tennessee are the only league teams whose schedules include all five.
Two nonconference opponents also appear in the poll, giving Florida an SEC-high seven currently ranked opponents on its 2026 schedule.
Florida's Last Match
Zoe Main gave Florida an early lead, but Ava Galligan scored twice to lift LSU to a 2-1 win at Donald R. Dizney Stadium on Oct. 2.
The Gators outshot the Tigers 18-6 and threatened late, but LSU goalkeeper Audur Scheving matched her career high with seven saves to preserve the victory.
Florida opened the scoring in the 22nd minute. Freshman Courtney Hogan lofted a ball into space near the top of the penalty area, where Main chased it down, held off a defender and finished with an eight-yard, left-footed shot.
LSU equalized in the 30th minute when Galligan finished Linka Ono's angled cross at the far post.
Galligan put the Tigers ahead in the 52nd minute. The sequence began with Scheving sending the ball toward midfield, where it was headed forward to Sariyah Bailey. Bailey played a ball into the penalty area for Galligan, who chased it down and scored with her right foot.
Florida nearly equalized in the 72nd minute. Addy Hess sent a ball forward from midfield to Main, whose shot inside the penalty area was tipped away by Scheving for a corner kick.
The Gators threatened again in the 87th minute. An LSU defender deflected Main's cross, which came to Iori Watanabe near the corner of the penalty area. Watanabe's shot deflected off another Tiger, forcing Scheving to adjust quickly to make the save.
Florida coach Nick Zimmerman was disappointed with the result but encouraged by the Gators' performance.
"It was an unbelievable performance from us. They had one chance in the second half — credit to them — and they scored it. But incredibly proud of the group," Zimmerman said.
"The goalkeeper made a couple big saves, and we were right in and around the box," he added. "But, again, if we're creating these chances, the good things are gonna happen."
Weather delayed kickoff by 30 minutes. Zimmerman also expressed appreciation for the fans who attended despite intermittent light rain.
About Alabama:
The Tide posted a 12-9-1 record in 2025 and tied for ninth in the Southeastern Conference with a 4-6-0 league mark. Alabama was eliminated from the 2025 NCAA Tournament with a 7-3 second-round loss at Stanford.
Alabama's eight shutouts this season ties for fifth in the nation. The Tide won each of their three 2026 matches against ranked opponents – 2-1 at then No. 21 Memphis, 3-2 versus then No. 15 TCU and 3-1 at then No. 21 Oklahoma.
Senior forward Larkin Thomason, who was named last week to the 2026 MAC Hermann Trophy Mid-Season Watch List, leads the Tide with nine goals and 20 points. Junior Madi Munguia has played every minute in goal for the Tide and owns a 0.85 goals-against average. Alabama and South Carolina share the league's low of one goal allowed so far in 2026 SEC play.
Thursday, Oct. 8 versus No. 5 Alabama (12-1-0, 5-0-0 SEC)
Time/Site: 7 p.m. at Donald R. Dizney Stadium
TV: SEC Network Jill Loyden and Mike Watts with the call
Radio: 850 AM WRUF Sky Lebron and Ryan Urquhart with the call
Live Stats
Admission: Free
Promotions: Arrive early to complete your Gators match-day look: The first 250 fans receive a Gators soccer visor.
Admission is free for all Gator soccer regular-season home matches. 2026 Florida Soccer Promotions
Did You Know?
All but three SEC teams have faced a top-10 opponent or are scheduled to face one this weekend.
Thursday's match against No. 5 Alabama will be Florida's third against an opponent ranked in the top 10 at the time of the match, the most among SEC teams.
Five SEC teams appear in the Oct. 6 IWSOC top 25. Florida and Tennessee are the only league teams whose schedules include all five.
Two nonconference opponents also appear in the poll, giving Florida an SEC-high seven currently ranked opponents on its 2026 schedule.
Florida's Last Match
Zoe Main gave Florida an early lead, but Ava Galligan scored twice to lift LSU to a 2-1 win at Donald R. Dizney Stadium on Oct. 2.
The Gators outshot the Tigers 18-6 and threatened late, but LSU goalkeeper Audur Scheving matched her career high with seven saves to preserve the victory.
Florida opened the scoring in the 22nd minute. Freshman Courtney Hogan lofted a ball into space near the top of the penalty area, where Main chased it down, held off a defender and finished with an eight-yard, left-footed shot.
LSU equalized in the 30th minute when Galligan finished Linka Ono's angled cross at the far post.
Galligan put the Tigers ahead in the 52nd minute. The sequence began with Scheving sending the ball toward midfield, where it was headed forward to Sariyah Bailey. Bailey played a ball into the penalty area for Galligan, who chased it down and scored with her right foot.
Florida nearly equalized in the 72nd minute. Addy Hess sent a ball forward from midfield to Main, whose shot inside the penalty area was tipped away by Scheving for a corner kick.
The Gators threatened again in the 87th minute. An LSU defender deflected Main's cross, which came to Iori Watanabe near the corner of the penalty area. Watanabe's shot deflected off another Tiger, forcing Scheving to adjust quickly to make the save.
Florida coach Nick Zimmerman was disappointed with the result but encouraged by the Gators' performance.
"It was an unbelievable performance from us. They had one chance in the second half — credit to them — and they scored it. But incredibly proud of the group," Zimmerman said.
"The goalkeeper made a couple big saves, and we were right in and around the box," he added. "But, again, if we're creating these chances, the good things are gonna happen."
Weather delayed kickoff by 30 minutes. Zimmerman also expressed appreciation for the fans who attended despite intermittent light rain.
About Alabama:
The Tide posted a 12-9-1 record in 2025 and tied for ninth in the Southeastern Conference with a 4-6-0 league mark. Alabama was eliminated from the 2025 NCAA Tournament with a 7-3 second-round loss at Stanford.
Alabama's eight shutouts this season ties for fifth in the nation. The Tide won each of their three 2026 matches against ranked opponents – 2-1 at then No. 21 Memphis, 3-2 versus then No. 15 TCU and 3-1 at then No. 21 Oklahoma.
Senior forward Larkin Thomason, who was named last week to the 2026 MAC Hermann Trophy Mid-Season Watch List, leads the Tide with nine goals and 20 points. Junior Madi Munguia has played every minute in goal for the Tide and owns a 0.85 goals-against average. Alabama and South Carolina share the league's low of one goal allowed so far in 2026 SEC play.
Players Mentioned
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