Coming off a dominant victory Thursday, Florida was looking to win its last non-conference matchup of the season. Despite seemingly maintaining control of the match throughout, Florida’s offense struggled to capitalize on multiple opportunities to secure a victory.
UF Freshman forward and leading goal scorer Vera Blom, along with sophomore forward Lena Bailey, also found themselves in similar positions, being unable to find the back of the net.
Florida (3-1-4) came away with a 0-0 tie against Florida Gulf Coast (1-4-1) in Fort Myers, Florida, Sunday.
“We're creating really good chances,” UF head coach Samantha Bohon said. “It's just that little final piece of putting it in the back of the net. I'd be a little bit more worried if we weren't creating chances, but we are. It's just that little final piece.”
Graduate student defender Josie Curtis, who previously played for FGCU in 2021, faced a tall task when matching up against her former team.
Moreover, the match was marked by exceptional goalkeeping and defensive plays. FGCU sophomore goalkeeper Olivia Molina was a force in the net, making six crucial saves in the match to keep the Gators at bay.
In the first 15 minutes, both Florida and FGCU maintained equal possession of the ball with each team recording one shot.
However, the Gators almost let up when FGCU junior forward Kendal Gargiula broke through the defense after a mistake in the backline by the Gators, but her shot missed the target.
Sophomore forward/midfielder Delaney Tellex came the closest to scoring with a direct shot on goal, but it was saved by Molina with 10 minutes left in the first half.
Florida amassed five shots, compared to FGCU’s two, but only one of those shots was on goal.
The Gators entered halftime with a renewed energy, but they were unable to solidify a lead to move the score from 0-0.
Entering the second half, Florida’s offense came out firing. Redshirt junior midfielder Oakley Rasmussen took the first shot of the half before it was blocked by FGCU’s defense.
Shortly after, Blom found herself in a prime scoring position in front of the net, but Molina jumped on the ball at Blom’s feet.
The Gators continued to press hard against the Eagles, attempting 11 shots in the second half. Bailey and Tellex worked relentlessly to generate scoring chances, but they were unable to convert them into goals.
In a final push during the last ten minutes of the match, Florida made a string of substitutions, bringing in redshirt sophomore midfielder Madison Jones, Blom and Tellex. Curtis and Bailey also both attempted shots on goal, but Molina turned them away.
Redshirt freshman goalkeeper Paloma Pena, who started in the second half for graduate student goalkeeper Alexa Goldberg, also delivered in the net to hold Florida’s ground. Pena quickly collided with FGCU graduate student forward/midfielder Lou Martinet for a clean tackle to prevent a scoring opportunity in the last three minutes of the match.
“We're containing people defensively,” Bohon said. “We just have to put the ball back in the net. But overall, obviously really disappointed, because this is a game we felt like we deserved and could have gotten a result from.”
Florida begins its SEC slate on the road against Kentucky Thursday at 7:30 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.
