The misty weather and an hour-long rain delay didn’t seem to faze Pamela Begic on the field in the Gators’ first ever meeting with the Sooners.
The freshman midfielder found her sweet spot, just five yards to the right of the goal, when defender Lauren Silver’s cross came to her head. Begic went for the header and sent the ball straight into the back of the net to grab No.10 Florida’s first goal of the night in its 3-0 victory over Oklahoma at James G. Pressly Stadium on Friday.
Begic’s goal was her second this season and her second consecutive header for a goal.
When asked about her instinct to shoot with her head, Begic laughed and said she’s thinks it’s pretty typical. “I hope to keep it up,” she said.
Coach Becky Burleigh added: “I think Pam is finally realizing that she can be a little more of a threat offensively and that’s really good to see because it’s hard to defend height.”
The 6-foot starting midfielder’s versatility on the field has been a huge advantage for Florida when holding possession.
Her lengthy stride saved Florida frequently in the midfield, especially when battling opponents for the ball. Her instincts to move the ball forward are relentless against those going up against her, staying composed while in a tie-up.
Begic also gets credit for learning the Gators’ mantra this season early on – come out strong and finish. It’s a mantra that has worked well for the Gators, winning each game this season when putting up the first point on the scoreboard.
However, despite the team earning its second-straight shutout win Friday night, Burleigh wasn’t enthused about her its chemistry on the field.
“I think I was satisfied with the effort,” Burleigh said.
“I just think we struggled a bit execution wise. We rely a lot on rhythm, playing in a rhythm. We never really established and kept a rhythm.”
The lack of rhythm can be partly attributed the numerous offside calls, hindering the flow of the game. The Gators had three offside calls, while the Sooners racked up nine.
Despite the lackluster play, two more underclassmen found a way to step up on the field Friday night, as sophomore midfielder Lauren Smith and freshman forward Brooke Sharp took advantage of some quick looks.
Smith got a touch on the ball at the top of the box in the 60th minute and took a shot that landed in the right corner of the goal, making it her first collegiate goal.
Sharp found her edge about 10 minutes later, controlling the ball 8 yards to the right of the box and striking it over a few defenders to hit atop the left corner of the goal. Sharp’s goal was her first as a Gator.
“It felt amazing,” Sharp said of her first collegiate goal. “I’ve been waiting for this the whole time I’ve been here, and it felt really good.”
Burleigh noted earlier in the week that there was more to come from the ambitious youth on the team and she pinned it right. She attributed the underclassmen’s success Friday night to quick adjustments.
“When freshmen come in or new players come in it’s all about getting acclimated to our style of play and getting acclimated to the way we’re trying to do things,” Burleigh said. “Once they start to get comfortable and not have to think so much, that’s when you start to see big strides.”
Follow Michelle Provenzano on Twitter @mmprovenzano.
Freshman midfielder Pamela Begic (left) dribbles during Florida’s 3-0 loss to Florida State on Aug. 31 at James G. Pressly Stadium.
