Liz Slattery is the latest freshman to make an impact for the Gators.
The freshman midfielder scored her first collegiate goal to help Florida (7-1-1) earn a 3-0 shutout against Alabama (2-6) at James G. Pressly Stadium on Friday night.
Slattery is the fifth freshman to score for UF this season.
“I saw an opening,” Slattery said. “I just went for it.”
After being substituted in with fewer than 20 minutes remaining in the match, Slattery found the back of the net despite not usually serving as an offensive threat for the Gators.
Defender Tessa Andujar, who was on the far flank, sent a service to the box that put Slattery in the perfect position to quickly make something happen.
The freshman took a precise shot from five yards to the left of the box and sent the ball diagonally past Crimson Tide goalkeeper Emily Rusk and into the right corner of the net.
Andujar collected the assist on the play.
“[Andujar] served the most beautiful ball, dropped it right at the penalty spot,” Slattery said.
“I just went up for it and served it back to the post it came from.”
Coach Becky Burleigh added: “Liz’s goal was a great goal. She put it across the keeper. Textbook — it was perfect.”
Slattery, a native of Cincinnati, came to Florida as an experienced scorer.
She led the Cincinnati United Premier Crew Jr. Gold 94/95 club team with 13 goals and eight assists in 2011-2012.
She finished her high school career for Indian Hill with 66 goals and 36 assists, with 17 of those goals coming during her senior year.
Prior to the season, Burleigh said this crop of freshmen was an underrated group. So far, she is correct.
Freshman Savannah Jordan leads the way, having scored 10 goals to pace UF. But Jordan is just one of eight true freshmen who have produced for the Gators.
Katie Richmond and Kristen Cardano are the only non-goalkeeper freshmen who have not scored for Florida in 2013.
Florida’s first-year players do not just score goals, though. One stops them from happening.
Twenty-one-year-old freshman Nora Neset Gjoen began the season in an open competition with incumbent goalkeeper Taylor Burke. Gjoen allowed four goals in three games before suffering a concussion against Florida State on Aug. 30.
The production of UF’s freshman class — which has scored 15 of Florida’s 21 goals this season and appears to be one of the most talented classes the Gators have had in recent memory — has helped offset the loss of Erika Tymrak, Kat Williamson and Jo Dragotta from last season.
It also offers optimism as the group continues to improve.
“It’s so exciting because you think about the next four years, and I just cannot wait,” Slattery said.
“Everyone in our class has so many different talents and so many of us have yet to even reveal those. I can’t wait for the next four years. It’s going to be awesome.”
Follow Michelle Provenzano on Twitter @mmprovenzano.
Liz Slattery heads the ball during Florida’s Southeastern Conference opener, a 3-0 victory against Alabama on Friday at James G. Pressly Stadium. UF’s freshmen have 15 of the Gators’ 21 goals this season.
