With less than a minute remaining in the game, it looked like the No. 9 Florida Gators women’s soccer team and the No. 13 Auburn Tigers were going to need overtime to determine a winner in Sunday’s match.
After a yellow card was given to Auburn forward Ellie Leek, the Tigers regained possession and took a shot on goal with just under 30 seconds remaining in the match.
The shot was blocked by a UF defender and went out over the line for an Auburn corner kick.
The ensuing corner kick was sent in by forward Taylor Troutman and was put into the back of the net off a volley by midfielder Casie Ramsier for her second goal of the match.
With no stoppage time at the end of 90 minutes, the Gators saw their chances of winning or pushing the game into overtime slip through their fingers.
The Gators (8-3-0, 2-2-0 Southeastern Conference) lost 3-2 as Auburn (10-1-0, 3-1-0 SEC) stayed undefeated at home.
"I was proud of our team’s resilience to come back from 2-0, not sure a lot of team’s can do that on the road in the SEC," coach Becky Burleigh said. "I think we’ll definitely learn how manage the end of a game better."
The first half of the game was rather uneventful for both sides as the two SEC opponents combined for 13 shots but only five on goal. The teams entered halftime tied at 0-0.
This season, the goals have come early and often for both the Gators and their opponents in the second half.
Florida has given up nine goals and scored 16 in the second halves of its 11 matches this season.
The late game opportunities were abundant in Sunday’s match as all five goals were scored in the final 45 minutes.
The goal scoring started early in the second half when Auburn struck in the 47th minute on Ramsier’s first goal of the match and seventh of the season. The goal came off of a rebound shot after Florida goalkeeper Valerie Tysinger and the Gators’ defense failed to clear the ball from the box.
The Tigers followed that breakthrough goal with another in the 49th minute when forward Kristen Dodson beat Tysinger on a shot to the keeper’s left.
UF fought back to get a goal of its own in the 58th minute on its second penalty kick of the game.
A penalty kick was awarded after a tackle on midfielder Mayra Pelayo in the box. Junior Savannah Jordan stepped up and put it away to make the score 2-1.
Florida would equalize in the 73rd minute on another goal from Jordan on a counter attack.
After the equalizing goal, both teams seemed to be pushing harder than they had the entire match trying to find a game-winning opportunity.
Florida took four shots in the remaining 17 minutes but were outmatched as the game drew to a close. Auburn took seven shots in the same amount of time and broke the deadlock on a set piece in the final moments of the game.
A corner kick from Troutman met the right foot of Ramsier and the Tigers pulled ahead to a 3-2 lead as the clock wound down.
"Always set pieces in general is something that we try and focus on," Burleigh said.
"You’ve got to win the first and second ball, that’s the bottom line."
Follow Ryan Summers on Twitter @RyanSummers18
UF forward Savannah Jordan chases after the ball during Florida's 3-2 win against Oklahoma State on Sept. 4, 2015, at James G. Pressly Stadium.
