Florida’s Betsy Middleton is a quiet assassin.
She doesn’t usually try to become the center of attention when she’s on the pitch, but in the 24th minute of the No. 12 Gators’ (10-3-1, 4-2-1 Southeastern Conference) 2-1 win over LSU (8-4-3, 2-4-1 SEC) Sunday in Gainesville, she was just that.
Notching just her fourth start of the season, the junior transfer from Miami put the Gators on the board seemingly out of nowhere.
Up until that point of the game, neither team had much momentum, and Florida was having some trouble connecting on its passes.
Then, junior forward Savannah Jordan took a shot from the left side of the box that ricocheted off the crossbar, eventually reaching Middleton near the top of the box.
Middleton ripped a touch from Brooke Sharp that hit off the far left post and into the net to give the Gators a 1-0 lead.
It was Middleton’s third goal of the season and her first as a fixture in the starting lineup.
But, she immediately directed the attention away from herself.
"This team works best when we’re all moving together," Middleton said. "Our best goals are the ones that come when multiple people touch the ball.
"I don’t ever want to see myself as some star player. I’ve always just considered myself just one of the group."
The second half erupted quickly in the Gators’ favor when Jordan scored her SEC-leading 14th goal of the season in the 50th minute to put the Gators up by two.
Senior defender Claire Falknor drove a defense-splitting pass on the ground in the direction of Jordan, who put the ball past LSU goalie Catalina Rubiano at the near post.
The goal highlighted a second half that saw Florida outshoot the Tigers 17 to five after having been outshot six to four in the first half.
Florida coach Becky Burleigh gave credit to the Gators’ ability to come out of the halftime locker room with more energy than LSU could handle.
"I think it was wearing them down," Burleigh said. "I think they got really tired, and … we were able to take advantage of that."
Just six minutes after her assist to Jordan, Falknor made the save of the day on the defensive end.
The Tigers’ Fernanda Piña headed a goal near the left post that hit off of UF goalie Kaylan Marckese.
Then, with the ball nearing the net, Falknor made the goal-line save with a clearance.
The score was 2-0 in Florida’s favor, but Falknor’s effort became a key moment for the Gators due to a late goal by the Tigers.
In the 89th minute, a LSU free kick eventually resulted in a goal from point-blank range by the Tigers’ Lexi Gibbs.
However, it wasn’t enough, allowing the Gators to secure the win and a six-point weekend.
"We’re just building off of that," Jordan said of the wins this weekend against Tennessee and LSU.
"It gives us a little bit of energy to finish out the SEC."
Follow Kyle Brutman on Twitter @KBrut13
UF forward Savannah Jordan takes a shot during Florida's 2-1 win against LSU on Oct. 11, 2015, at James G. Pressly Stadium.
