Without midfielder Erika Tymrak, UF’s premier scoring threat, the Gators put on their strongest offensive display this season.
Entering the match, Tymrak led the team in shots, tied for the team lead in points and tied for second in goals.
Despite her absence due to a left ankle sprain suffered on Friday, Florida defeated Georgia (5-5-1, 1-2-1 Southeastern Conference) 4-1 on Sunday in Gainesville.
“Obviously, losing Erika for a game, or however many games she’s out, is a big loss,” coach Becky Burleigh said on Sunday. “It’s a chance for someone to step up and get some experience and get more minutes than they might have had she been playing.”
The Gators (6-3-1, 3-1 SEC) struggled to finish runs in the first half. Through 45 minutes, they outshot the Bulldogs 8-2 but did not convert on any of those chances.
Junior Adriana Leon had several early opportunities for Florida. In the first 27 minutes, she took three shots. Her third shot came after sophomore midfielder Havana Solaun fired a shot from the far side that ricocheted off Georgia goalkeeper Ashley Baker’s hands. Leon’s shot came in low, and Baker smothered it to prevent a goal.
Junior midfielder Caroline Triglia also had a chance to score in the 41st minute. Triglia got the ball off a Bulldogs turnover, made her way around a defender and took a shot from outside the box that hit off the crossbar.
“At halftime, we came in and just said, ‘We’re owning them, and we just have to put them away,’” Tymrak said.
In the second half, the Gators put four away.
The scoring frenzy began less than 10 minutes into the half when senior midfielder Holly King, who landed hard after Georgia committed a foul just minutes earlier, turned a corner kick from sophomore Annie Speese into Florida’s first goal.
“My run was going to be center, but I saw that the ball was going further,” King said. “I saw the goalkeeper was on near post, so I just headed it far post.”
The second goal came 10 minutes later off the foot of Solaun. Junior defender Maggie Rodgers fed Solaun the ball after fighting for it in front of goal, and Solaun booted it into the far corner for the Gators’ second goal.
The goal was Solaun’s third of the season and gave her the team lead in points.
The third goal of the game came from a less likely source.
After a handball in the box in the 69th minute, midfielder Jo Dragotta lined up to take a penalty kick. She shot toward the far post, the goalie dove toward the near post and the ball rolled into the net for the senior’s first career goal.
The Gators added the fourth and final goal in the 79th minute, when sophomore forward Jillian Graff ‘s shot bounced down off the crossbar and landed past the line.
The assist went to freshman defender Brooke Smith, who recorded the first point of her college career.
This win gave the Gators their third straight victory and puts them in a tie for second in the SEC East standings.
“It’s a really big win for us,” Burleigh said. “The difference is, on Friday night we were at 2-0 … but we let them back in it. Tonight, it’s 2-0 and we just kept pouring it on, and I think that’s important to see.”
Senior Erika Tymrak (17) reaches for her leg after falling to the ground during Florida's game against Tennessee at James G. Pressly Stadium on Friday. Tymrak didn't play when Florida hosted Georgia.
