Sophomore forward Delaney Tellex seized a crucial moment on the right wing, taking a single touch before launching the ball high and hard over Kennesaw State freshman goalkeeper Aryana Rosenblum.
Redshirt sophomore midfielder Madison Jones and freshman midfielder Norah Abbott created quality ball movement to record their first collegiate assists as the Gators cruised to their biggest victory of 2024.
“In practice we've been working on finding those wide channels," Tellex said. "It was a team effort [on my goal] and it was kind of cool to put everything we've been working on together. “It was a great ball by Jonesy [Madison Jones] and then touch in and finish. This was a great night to get a good result.”
Florida (3-1-3) bounced back from its tough loss to Florida State on Sunday to secure a dominant victory over Kennesaw State (0-6-1) at Donald R. Dizney Stadium Thursday.
Despite the pouring rain falling in Gainesville, the Gators displayed relentless determination from the first whistle to the last. Florida applied high-pressure attacks and was the superior team from start to finish.
Kennesaw State was unable to build much momentum, as the Gators totaled 21 shots, while the Owls failed to record one.
Throughout the first half, the Gators took non-stop shots in an attempt to solidify their lead.
In the heat of UF’s attack, junior defender Njeri Butts was fouled in the penalty box with three minutes left in the first half. Without hesitation, redshirt junior Oakley Rasmusseen took the kick, shooting the ball effortlessly into the bottom-right corner of the net for her first goal of the season.
Tellex was a pivotal force on the right wing, possessing diagonal balls that came her way and converting them into shots on goal.
“I never feel in my head or anything because I know the next play is more important than the one that just happened,” Tellex said.
Entering the second half with a 2-0 lead, Florida kept its discipline and showed no signs of taking its foot off the gas.
Just three minutes into the second half, freshman forward Vera Blom narrowly saved the ball from going out of bounds and took it down the left side of the field. She swiftly cut the ball, shifted it to her right foot and curved the shot into the back of the net. Blom, who now leads the Gatorswith three goals this season, set the tone that the second half would be no different from the first.
Kennesaw State redshirt freshman goalkeeper Caroline Wehr, who substituted for Rosenblum after an injury suffered in the first half, kept the Gators at bay for the remainder of the match.
However, Florida’s offensive attack remained persistent. Sophomore forward Lena Bailey nearly added to the lead with multiple opportunities on goal early in the second half.
Bailey found herself in prime scoring positions in front of the net but her attempts were off the mark.
In the final minute of the match, Rasmusseen took the twenty-first and final shot to close out an offensive explosion for the Gators.
“Anytime you shut out a team and don't let them have a shot is a huge accomplishment," UF head coach Samantha Bohon said. "We really challenged our back line this week because we just felt like we were a little too casual. Tonight you saw a lot better sharpness from our back line. [That] just kind of sets the tone in the tempo for the rest of the team.”
Florida is set to close out its non-conference slate against Florida Gulf Coast on Sunday at 1 p.m.
Contact Amanda Roman at aroman@alligator.org. Follow her on X @mandy_romannn
Amanda Roman is a sophomore sports journalism major and The Alligator's Fall 2024 Soccer Reporter. She interned for Fort Lauderdale United FC this past summer as the team's journalist. In her free time, she enjoys lifting, shopping and reading.
