Florida’s offense is one of the top in the country this season, and one of the reasons why is the team’s balance.
Through 17 games, the No. 8 Gators (13-4, 8-2 Southeastern Conference) have scored 40 goals, and have the potential to match the 52 goals scored by last year’s team.
However, while the team’s leading scorer Savannah Jordan has still scored an impressive 14 goals this season and won SEC offensive player of the week three times this year — including this week — she’s likely to fall short of the 22 goals she scored last season.
Other teams have taken extra measures to keep Jordan from beating them this season, but because of this, Florida’s other players have stepped up to the plate.
And they’ve delivered.
Twelve different players have scored the team’s 40 goals, and nine have sent a ball to the back of the net multiple times this season.
Jordan said she believes because the team is more balanced this season, opposing defenses are having trouble figuring out how to stop the Florida’s offense.
"Oh it makes it difficult for them," she said. "I know when we’re in our setting and we kind of have our rhythm going, it’s really difficult for teams to defend us. You can kinda feel it in the game."
Jordan added that because many of the players from last year’s team returned this season, there is greater chemistry among the players when it comes to moving the ball around.
Because the ball is being moved around so much more — and with better quality — more players are getting opportunities to make plays, which is making playing more exciting for the rest of the team.
"It’s a lot of fun," senior forward Jillian Graff said about playing in an offense that gives everyone opportunities to score. "It’s a lot of fun seeing people get opportunities to get out there, and playing with just a variety of different people who show different things on the field.
"The way we control the ball is something that we take a lot of pride in, the way we move the ball around, so having the depth we do on the team. ... I think it shows a lot about our team and anyone on the team can do it on the field."
Graff also said she didn’t think the team was in sync at the start of the season on offense, but through all the work the players and coaches have put in has made the offense dangerous.
Coach Becky Burleigh said she has seen an improvement in the offense in just the past few weeks, and she hopes they can continue to play in the same unselfish way to sustain Florida’s current level of performance into the looming postseason.
"We’re definitely a big step ahead of where we were two weekends ago," she said. "I think for us it’s just a matter of continuing to work out what makes us generate that kind of pressure."
Follow Graham Hack on Twitter @Graham_hack24
Jillian Graff heads the ball during Florida's 5-1 win against Mississippi State
