Missouri coach Bryan Blitz has spent 315 games at the helm of the Tigers’ soccer program, but he spent most of his latest game watching from the locker room. Blitz was ejected in the 24th minute after arguing against a yellow card given to Missouri midfielder Kaysie Clark.
“I think he just disagreed with the official,” coach Becky Burleigh said. “He stayed on the field and kept talking to [the referee]. In our sport, you’re really not supposed to enter the field of play as a coach.”
Under the guidance of assistant coach Todd Shulenberger for most of the game, Missouri (14-7, 8-5 Southeastern Conference) fell to top-seeded Florida (16-4, 11-2 SEC) 3-0 in the Southeastern Conference tournament semifinals.
The game began with 15 minutes of back-and-forth play, and neither side was able to gain much of an advantage. However, after several attacks that fell just short of goals due to errant passes, the Gators broke through.
Early in the 19th minute, SEC Offensive Player of the Year Erika Tymrak received a pass near the end line and sent a cross to midfielder Havana Solaun near the far post. A Gators attacker tripped Missouri goalkeeper McKenzie Sauerwein, and Solaun sent it to the back of the net.
Before the Tigers could regroup, Tymrak and Solaun found each other again.
Less than a minute after netting the first goal, Solaun passed off to Tymrak at the top of the box, and the senior fired a laser past Sauerwein for the Gators’ second goal in 40 seconds.
“The big thing was: Let’s just keep the pressure on,” Burleigh said. “Let’s make sure that we don’t take our foot off the pedal, because we’ve done that occasionally.”
The Gators added a third goal in the 58th minute off of a free kick from senior Jo Dragotta. Fellow senior Holly King got a touch on the ball before it found the net, and picked up her fifth goal of the season.
King left the game four minutes later after colliding with a Missouri player. She was slow to get to her feet, but was able to walk off the field under her own power.
“I think she’s fine,” Burleigh said. “She’s got a little bit of a collision there, but she should be fine.”
With this win, the Gators move on to the SEC tournament finals for the third time in the last four years. Florida will take on the sixth-seeded Auburn Tigers on Sunday. The Gators defeated Auburn 2-1 on Sept. 16.
