With fewer than 30 seconds left to win the game, Pamela Begic had a choice.
From 15 yards out, the freshman midfielder could take a shot on South Florida goalkeeper Christiane Endler or dish the ball out to Havana Solaun, who was the only Gator to beat Endler and score a goal on the night.
Begic sent it to Solaun, who diverted it to freshman Savannah Jordan, who is UF’s leading goal scorer.
With 9 seconds left, Jordan headed a weak ball into the arms of Endler to bring the match to a 1-1 draw after two overtime periods in Tampa.
Although there was 109:30 of missed chances and untimely fouls by No. 9 Florida (6-1-1) that led up to the final play, the burden of the game still fell on the shoulders of the 18-year-old Slovenian when the ball landed by her feet with time expiring.
Coach Becky Burleigh said although she would have preferred a goal to give the Gators the victory, she was still impressed by the levelheaded play of her freshman.
“I think Pam’s position was to try and catch the goalkeeper out of position and play the ball to Havana,” Burleigh said.
“I wouldn’t have argued if she had taken that shot.
“I thought it was a really unselfish play in the waning seconds. It just shows her composure.”
On a wet and windy day at South Florida (4-1-3), Burleigh said she thought the entire 110 minutes of play was a test for UF and its ability to maintain composure.
Florida quickly found itself down one goal after the Bulls’ Sharla Passariello found the back of the net in the seventh minute.
For goalkeeper Taylor Burke, the goal was the first she allowed since giving up her first of the season against Oregon State on Aug. 25.
“It was a great test for us to go down that early,” Burleigh said.
“It was kind of a mental error on our part to give up the goal, but to see us get that goal back was really a step in the right direction for us.”
But getting the equalizer took patience by the Gators, who had to wait until Claire Falknor assisted Solaun for Florida’s first goal in the 74th minute.
Solaun raised her goal total on the season to four while Falknor recorded her second assist on the year.
But after forcing the Bulls into their third overtime of the season, the Gators could not capitalize on their momentum and finished in a draw for the first time this year and the first time since tying North Carolina on Aug. 24, 2012.
“It was an unfortunate tie for us because of the amount of opportunities that we had,” Burleigh said.
The Gators more than doubled the Bulls’ eight shots, taking 20, including 10 shots on goal. However, with only one of those balls ending up in the back of the net, it was the worst shooting percentage by Florida since being shut out against Florida State on Aug. 30.
But Burleigh said she was proud of her team for doing something it never really had to do all year: come from behind in a tough environment.
“That’s the first time we’ve really trailed a game and come back and got the equalizer this season,” she said. “This is going to help create and build our mentality.”
Follow Jonathan Czupryn on Twitter @jczupryn.
Havana Solaun (19) fights for the ball during Florida’s 2-0 win against Oklahoma State on Sept. 6 at James G. Pressly Stadium.
