Thursday, August 20
Gainesville, FL
8:35 p.m.
Florida Gators
1-1-0, 0-0-0
3
vs
2
Coastal Carolina
1-1-0, 0-0-0
| Team | 1 | 2 | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coastal Carolina | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Florida | 2 | 1 | 3 |
Kyra Taylor celebrates with teammates one of her two goals in Thursday's home opener, as the Gators defeated Coastal Carolina 3-2.
Johnston's Strike Lifts Florida Past Coastal Carolina in Home Opener
Thursday, August 20, 2026 | Soccer
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The first day of classes brought a first of another kind Thursday at the University of Florida.
Sophomore Katie Johnston struck in the 76th minute to lift Florida soccer to a 3-2 victory over Coastal Carolina in the Gators' 2026 home opener at Donald R. Dizney Stadium.
The victory is Florida's first of the season and the first for Nick Zimmerman as the Gators' head coach.
It was a memorable night that required some patience. Lightning in the area delayed the opening kick by two hours, five minutes,= and intermittent showers continued throughout the match.
Once play began, senior Kyra Taylor made up for lost time.
Taylor came off the bench in the 17th minute and scored twice in a span of 11 minutes to give Florida a 2-0 advantage. Coastal Carolina answered with two goals before halftime, setting the stage for Johnston's second-half winner.
Taylor Strikes Twice
A pair of Florida seniors connected on a set piece for the opening goal in the 22nd minute. Zoe Main sent a corner kick to the far post, where Taylor touched it home from close range for a 1-0 lead.
Taylor struck again in the 33rd minute. Johnston provided the pass and Taylor finished from 10 yards to double Florida's advantage.
Coastal Carolina cut the lead in half in the 40th minute. Luisa Thomas sent a deep cross to Ava Rodriguez, who one-touched the ball in from near the far post.
The Chanticleers pulled even late in the half. A free kick was punched away by Florida goalkeeper Paloma Peña, but the ball stayed alive in the box. Rodriguez eventually sent it wide to Olivia Lawrence, who scored off the bounce at the far post to send the teams into halftime tied at 2-all.
Johnston Delivers the Winner
Florida broke the deadlock in the 76th minute.
Mia Gray played the ball wide to Johnston, who drove across the box before delivering a left-footed strike from 15 yards for a 3-2 Gator lead.
This time, the advantage held.
Johnston's goal delivered Florida its first victory of 2026 and Zimmerman's first as the Gators' head coach.
Another Weather Delay
It's been a soggy start to Florida's season.
The Gators' Aug. 13 season opener at UCF was delayed an hour, five minutes. Thursday's home opener was pushed back two hours, five minutes as a slow-moving front crossed the UF campus.
The rain never completely went away, with the match played through intermittent showers.
Did You Know?
Match 700 for the Gators
Thursday's match against Coastal Carolina marked the 700th match in the 32-season history of Florida soccer — and the Gators celebrated the milestone with a victory.
Florida soccer began play in 1995. The SEC first sponsored soccer in 1993 with four programs — Auburn, Arkansas, Kentucky and Vanderbilt — before Alabama joined in 1994. Six additional teams, including Florida, began play in 1995.
Florida is the fourth SEC program to reach 700 matches. Texas A&M was the fastest SEC program to the milestone, reaching 700 in its 31st season. Florida is second, reaching the mark in its 32nd season. Arkansas and Vanderbilt each reached 700 matches in their 37th seasons.
With the exception of match No. 100, each of Florida's 100-match milestones has been decided by a single goal.
Coach Zimmerman Said:
Kyra Taylor subs in and quickly scores twice
"She makes all of us look good - right? We talked to Kyra before the game, and that was by design. We talked to her before, and we said the way that we wanted to play, we felt like we needed two players, one in the first group, one in the second group to lead that group.
"Kyra does everything right. Not only is she a really good footballer, she's an incredible human being, so selfless. Were we surprised she had the game she had? No. She does it every day in training. She does it off the field. She's an incredible human being." – Florida Head Coach Nick Zimmerman
What was the message to team at half?
"I'm gonna be a broken record when we talk about performance and learning. Right now, our performance, there were some really good moments, and then there's some moments that it was inconsistent. This is another opportunity for us to learn. We're an organization really six, seven months in our infancy, as you will. So, this is part of it. This is an important step for us to take. But it's certainly one of those games, weather, rain, all of it." – Florida Head Coach Nick Zimmerman
Records:
Florida: 1-1, 0-0-0 SEC
Coastal Carolina: 1-1, 0-0-0 Sun Belt
Series Record:
Florida leads 1-0
Next Up:
Florida plays host to defending NCAA champion and current No. T3 Florida State (3-0, 0-0 ACC) Sunday for the first televised appearance of the season for both programs. The Seminoles opened home action tonight with a 3-0 win over Florida Atlantic.
vs No. T3 Florida State
Date: Friday, Aug. 23
Time: 2 p.m. ET
Site: Donald R. Dizney Stadium (1,500)
TV: SEC Network with AJ Ricketts and Paddy Foss calling the action
Radio: ESPN Gainesville 98.1 FM / 850 AM with Ryan Urquhart and Matthew Stubbington calling the action
StatBroadcast
Admission: Free for all Gator soccer regular-season matches
Promotions: Blue Out : It's a sea of blue at Dizney! The first 250 fans receive a FREE Blue Rally Towel—grab yours and wave it high!; Free Pizza For Students: Students, come hungry—the first 100 students get FREE pizza! Kid's Zone Fun: Get the fun started before the match with a face painter & balloon artist on the Dizney Stadium concourse!
Coastal Carolina (1-1, 0-0 Sun Belt at Florida (1-1, 0-0 SEC)
Stadium: Donald R. Dizney Stadium (184)
Weather: On and off rain
Scoring Summary:
Shots: CC 5, Florida 19
Saves: CC 10 (Aris Lammana 10), Florida 1 (Paloma Peña 0/Jayden Emmanuel 1)
Cautions:
41:45: Breahn Fisher – UF: yellow; 59:11: Skye Barnes – UF: yellow; 82:19: Montelene Dymond – UF: yellow
Sophomore Katie Johnston struck in the 76th minute to lift Florida soccer to a 3-2 victory over Coastal Carolina in the Gators' 2026 home opener at Donald R. Dizney Stadium.
The victory is Florida's first of the season and the first for Nick Zimmerman as the Gators' head coach.
It was a memorable night that required some patience. Lightning in the area delayed the opening kick by two hours, five minutes,= and intermittent showers continued throughout the match.
Once play began, senior Kyra Taylor made up for lost time.
Taylor came off the bench in the 17th minute and scored twice in a span of 11 minutes to give Florida a 2-0 advantage. Coastal Carolina answered with two goals before halftime, setting the stage for Johnston's second-half winner.
First Gator Goal by Kyra 😁😁
— Gators Soccer (@GatorsSoccer) August 21, 2026
🎥 SECN+ pic.twitter.com/SvDePoru9V
Taylor Strikes Twice
A pair of Florida seniors connected on a set piece for the opening goal in the 22nd minute. Zoe Main sent a corner kick to the far post, where Taylor touched it home from close range for a 1-0 lead.
Taylor struck again in the 33rd minute. Johnston provided the pass and Taylor finished from 10 yards to double Florida's advantage.
ANOTHA ONE 🗣️
— Gators Soccer (@GatorsSoccer) August 21, 2026
🎥 SECN+ pic.twitter.com/fSuBwZ9Gbj
Coastal Carolina cut the lead in half in the 40th minute. Luisa Thomas sent a deep cross to Ava Rodriguez, who one-touched the ball in from near the far post.
The Chanticleers pulled even late in the half. A free kick was punched away by Florida goalkeeper Paloma Peña, but the ball stayed alive in the box. Rodriguez eventually sent it wide to Olivia Lawrence, who scored off the bounce at the far post to send the teams into halftime tied at 2-all.
Katie J 😮💨😮💨
— Gators Soccer (@GatorsSoccer) August 21, 2026
🎥 SECN+ pic.twitter.com/J2Q0Rq9gip
Johnston Delivers the Winner
Florida broke the deadlock in the 76th minute.
Mia Gray played the ball wide to Johnston, who drove across the box before delivering a left-footed strike from 15 yards for a 3-2 Gator lead.
This time, the advantage held.
Johnston's goal delivered Florida its first victory of 2026 and Zimmerman's first as the Gators' head coach.
Another Weather Delay
It's been a soggy start to Florida's season.
The Gators' Aug. 13 season opener at UCF was delayed an hour, five minutes. Thursday's home opener was pushed back two hours, five minutes as a slow-moving front crossed the UF campus.
The rain never completely went away, with the match played through intermittent showers.
Did You Know?
- Kyra Taylor entered the match in the 17th minute and had two goals by the 33rd. It marked the fifth brace of her collegiate career and her first since scoring two of the final three goals for Louisiana Tech in a 4-1 victory over Jackson State on Aug. 29, 2024.
- Katie Johnston provided the game-winner. Her previous goals came a year and a day earlier, when she scored twice - including the game-winner - in Florida's 4-2 victory over Towson.
Match 700 for the Gators
Thursday's match against Coastal Carolina marked the 700th match in the 32-season history of Florida soccer — and the Gators celebrated the milestone with a victory.
Florida soccer began play in 1995. The SEC first sponsored soccer in 1993 with four programs — Auburn, Arkansas, Kentucky and Vanderbilt — before Alabama joined in 1994. Six additional teams, including Florida, began play in 1995.
Florida is the fourth SEC program to reach 700 matches. Texas A&M was the fastest SEC program to the milestone, reaching 700 in its 31st season. Florida is second, reaching the mark in its 32nd season. Arkansas and Vanderbilt each reached 700 matches in their 37th seasons.
With the exception of match No. 100, each of Florida's 100-match milestones has been decided by a single goal.
| Match # | Result | Opponent | Date |
| 100 | W, 3-1 | at #24 Southern Cal | 9/6/1999 |
| 200 | L, 1-0 | at Utah | 9/29/2003 |
| 300 | W, 1-0 | at Arkansas | 10/25/2007 |
| 400 | L, 1-0 | vs LSU | 10/23/2011 |
| 500 | W, 1-0 | vs Western Michigan | 11/14/2015 (NCAA First Rnd) |
| 600 | W, 6-5 OT | vs Kentucky | 11/13/2020 (SEC First Rnd) |
| 700 | W, 3-2 | vs Coastal Carolina | 8/20/2026 |
Coach Zimmerman Said:
Kyra Taylor subs in and quickly scores twice
"She makes all of us look good - right? We talked to Kyra before the game, and that was by design. We talked to her before, and we said the way that we wanted to play, we felt like we needed two players, one in the first group, one in the second group to lead that group.
"Kyra does everything right. Not only is she a really good footballer, she's an incredible human being, so selfless. Were we surprised she had the game she had? No. She does it every day in training. She does it off the field. She's an incredible human being." – Florida Head Coach Nick Zimmerman
What was the message to team at half?
"I'm gonna be a broken record when we talk about performance and learning. Right now, our performance, there were some really good moments, and then there's some moments that it was inconsistent. This is another opportunity for us to learn. We're an organization really six, seven months in our infancy, as you will. So, this is part of it. This is an important step for us to take. But it's certainly one of those games, weather, rain, all of it." – Florida Head Coach Nick Zimmerman
Records:
Florida: 1-1, 0-0-0 SEC
Coastal Carolina: 1-1, 0-0-0 Sun Belt
Series Record:
Florida leads 1-0
Next Up:
Florida plays host to defending NCAA champion and current No. T3 Florida State (3-0, 0-0 ACC) Sunday for the first televised appearance of the season for both programs. The Seminoles opened home action tonight with a 3-0 win over Florida Atlantic.
vs No. T3 Florida State
Date: Friday, Aug. 23
Time: 2 p.m. ET
Site: Donald R. Dizney Stadium (1,500)
TV: SEC Network with AJ Ricketts and Paddy Foss calling the action
Radio: ESPN Gainesville 98.1 FM / 850 AM with Ryan Urquhart and Matthew Stubbington calling the action
StatBroadcast
Admission: Free for all Gator soccer regular-season matches
Promotions: Blue Out : It's a sea of blue at Dizney! The first 250 fans receive a FREE Blue Rally Towel—grab yours and wave it high!; Free Pizza For Students: Students, come hungry—the first 100 students get FREE pizza! Kid's Zone Fun: Get the fun started before the match with a face painter & balloon artist on the Dizney Stadium concourse!
Coastal Carolina (1-1, 0-0 Sun Belt at Florida (1-1, 0-0 SEC)
Stadium: Donald R. Dizney Stadium (184)
Weather: On and off rain
| Goals by Period | 1 | 2 | Total |
| Coastal Carolina | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Florida | 2 | 1 | 3 |
Scoring Summary:
| No. | Time | Team | Goal Scorer | Assist |
| 1. | 21:56 | UF | Kyra Taylor | Zoe Main |
| 2. | 32:47 | UF | Kyra Taylor | Katie Johnston |
| 3. | 39:35 | CC | Ava Rodriguez | Luisa Thomas, Olivia Lawrence |
| 4. | 43:56 | CC | Olivia Lawrence | Ava Rodriguez |
| 5. | 75:53 | UF | Katie Johnston | Mia Gray |
Shots: CC 5, Florida 19
Saves: CC 10 (Aris Lammana 10), Florida 1 (Paloma Peña 0/Jayden Emmanuel 1)
Cautions:
41:45: Breahn Fisher – UF: yellow; 59:11: Skye Barnes – UF: yellow; 82:19: Montelene Dymond – UF: yellow
Players Mentioned
D
/ Soccer
F
/ Soccer
GK
/ Soccer
MF
/ Soccer
D
/ SoccerTeam Stats
COAST
UFLOR
Goals
2
3
Shots
5
19
Shots on Goal
3
13
Saves
10
1
Corners
2
5
Fouls
6
17
Scoring Plays
Kyra Taylor (2)
Assisted By: Zoe Main
GOAL by UFLOR Taylor, Kyra Assist by Main, Zoe.
21:56
Kyra Taylor (2)
Assisted By: Katie Johnston
GOAL by UFLOR Taylor, Kyra Assist by Johnston, Katie.
32:47
Ava Rodriguez (1)
Assisted By: Luisa Thomas , Olivia Lawrence
GOAL by COAST Rodriguez, Ava Assist by Thomas, Luisa and Lawrence, Olivia.
39:35
Olivia Lawrence (1)
Assisted By: Ava Rodriguez
GOAL by COAST Lawrence, Olivia Assist by Rodriguez, Ava.
43:56
Katie Johnston (1)
Assisted By: Mia Gray
GOAL by UFLOR Johnston, Katie Assist by Gray, Mia.
75:53
Game Leaders
fwd
Shots
6
SOG
5
Goals
2
Assists
0
Shots
1
SOG
1
Goals
1
Assists
1
fwd
Shots
3
SOG
2
Goals
0
Assists
1
mid
Shots
2
SOG
1
Goals
0
Assists
1
Friday, August 21
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