With freshman Savannah Jordan’s quick start to the season, Havana Solaun faded into the supporting cast of Florida’s offense.
But the junior took the lead role on Sunday.
Solaun scored both of No. 10 Florida’s (5-1) goals in a 2-0 victory against Oklahoma State (3-1-2) on Sunday at James G. Pressly Stadium.
The 2-0 victory is UF’s third straight shutout.
Solaun made her mark early in the first half when fellow midfielder Annie Speese sent a cross to her 12 yards to the right of the goal at the top of the box in the 11th minute.
Solaun saw a hole in Oklahoma State’s defense and took advantage, sending the ball into the right corner of the goal to give Florida an early lead.
After sitting out against Oklahoma on Friday with a minor injury, Solaun returned and found her rhythm.
“She’s a good playmaker, and a bad matchup for most defenders,” coach Becky Burleigh said. “She’s pretty fast, and she’s tall, and she’s really technical, and she understands the game very well.”
Solaun, who was tied as UF’s second leading goal scorer in 2012, proved her playmaking abilities again in the second half.
In the 52nd minute, Florida maintained possession into Oklahoma State’s box.
Jordan, Speese and Solaun packed into the box with Cowgirls’ defenders. Jordan got control, dribbled the ball around the defenders and sent it to Speese. Speese made a short pass to Solaun, who quickly whipped it into the right corner of the goal from 18 yards out.
“The ball was kind of bouncing around; I ended up with it somehow,” Speese said. “And there’s Havana again, I always know she’s going to be looking to the ball, so I just laid it off to her right foot and she put it away.”
The goal was Solaun’s third this season and the third two-goal match of her career.
“Playing with Annie has always been so much fun because she just sees the pass and puts it on a silver platter for you,” Solaun said.
The Gators came out with a consistently aggressive rhythm — a step up from their slow play on Friday. Florida maintained possession for the majority of the game and put 17 shots on the Oklahoma State goal. The Cowgirls took just three shots on goal.
“I told our team afterwards, when you’re trying to win championships, that’s what is going to get us there,” Burleigh said.
Solaun added that the team’s motivator for the past few games was the loss they suffered to Florida State on Aug. 30.
“After a loss you learn so much,” Solaun said.
“After FSU, we kind of figured out what we need to improve on. And we’ve been working really hard to get better at those mistakes.”
Follow Michelle Provenzano on Twitter @mmprovenzano.
Havana Solaun (19) fights for the ball during Florida’s 2-0 win against Oklahoma State on Sept. 6 at James G. Pressly Stadium.
