Savannah Jordan finds strength through adversity.
She’s reminded of it every time she looks down at her wrist, where the motto is inked in sandscript.
“I just think that going through adversity, whether it’s in soccer or in life, you just always have to have strength through it,” the freshman forward said.
Jordan’s strength in scoring will be tested when No. 8) Florida (6-1-1) hosts Alabama (2-5) at James G. Pressly Stadium at 7 p.m., to kick off Southeastern Conference play.
Jordan has dealt with the target on her back since scoring five goals in her opening weekend with the Gators and claiming eight total, tying for the ninth-highest individual total in the nation, according to NCAA statistics. She went scoreless through two consecutive games until putting two in the net against Minnesota on Sept. 13.
“I feel that teams are becoming harder defensively and that’s just something I’m going to have to change up a little bit with my game, or just continue to play how I’ve been playing and hopefully the goals will still come,” Jordan said.
Coach Becky Burleigh said she’s content with Jordan’s play on the field and has confidence that she can get around the defensive pressure.
“She’s deceptively strong,” Burleigh said. “Sometimes backs underestimate her ability to go shoulder to shoulder with them, and she usually wins those battles.”
The Tide comes to Gainesville after being shut out in four of the seven games they’ve played against non-conference opponents.
“I think they’re a team that’s got a lot of talent and maybe just struggling a little bit with their identity,” Burleigh said. “Their results don’t really indicate the talent they have.”
Burleigh noted that Alabama has relatively the same team as last year, a team that beat the Gators 1-0 in 2012 to break their nine-consecutive game win streak.
“They’re not fooling us,” Burleigh said. “We know what they have. Maybe they just haven’t fit it all together yet, but we don’t want that to happen against us.”
Last season, the Tide’s then-freshman forward Katie Bourgeois sank one in from 12 yards out into the far post, just flying out of goalkeeper Taylor Burke’s reach.
It was the first time that Florida dropped to Alabama with Burke in goal.
“Communication has been a big thing that I have tried to improve on,” Burke said.
“Just knowing the players that you’re playing with back there – and I know we’ve been playing with a lot of different outside backs, some with experience and some without.
I think communication and learning how to communicate to each person is something I kind of have focused on. I think that’s been more effective since I’ve gotten older.”
With the Gators’ only loss this season coming against Florida State on August 30, the team sees SEC play as a new beginning.
“Starting with SECs it’s a whole new season for us,” Burke said.
“Everything starts over. Everyone in the SEC has zero wins and zero losses, so I think that’s definitely motivating us. This is where you begin your run to win a SEC championship.”
Alumni in attendance: In addition to hosting Alabama, today is also the beginning of alumni weekend, where many former Gators will be in attendance to watch the 2013 Gators face the Tide. Coach Becky Burleigh said they’re expecting players from all eras of Florida soccer and thinks it is a testament to the program’s close-knit support system.
“It’s not just like you’re just wearing a jersey for this given team, you’re wearing a jersey that every player before you has worn,” Burleigh said. “I think it’s really special that our alumni are so supportive of our team.”
Follow Michelle Provenzano on Twitter @mmprovenzano.
Savannah Jordan (right) dribbles past Oregon State’s Kathryn Baker on Aug. 25 at James G. Pressly Stadium. Jordan scored three times during the game.
