Gators midfielder Erika Tymrak has a knack for clutch plays.
In more than three years at Florida, the 2011 NSCAA second-team All-American has seven game-winning goals. Last year, she scored the tying goal and assisted on the game-winning goal in the Southeastern Conference Tournament semifinal.
Tymrak picked up several awards this week after providing Florida with the most important goal of the young season in Sunday’s 3-2 win over Duke.
She was named SEC Offensive Soccer Player of the Week, Soccer America Player of the Week, CollegeSoccer360.com Primetime Player and Disney Soccer/NSCAA Player of the Week.
The last Gator to win NSCAA Player of the Week was senior McKenzie Barney, who received the honor in 2010 after scoring a game-winning goal against Florida State.
“It feels awesome,” Tymrak said about the SEC award. “I’m just happy that we could get such a good weekend. … The fact that I got the honor on top of that is just incredible.”
Tymrak was recognized for her offensive production in Florida’s upset of Duke. Tymrak scored the game-winning goal in the 93rd minute of the Gators’ second straight overtime match, finishing a give-and-go from Barney inside the box.
“When it went in, I kind of turned and looked at [Barney] and she started screaming, and it hit me that we just won,” Tymrak said.
She also set up Florida’s second goal of the match when her cross into the box deflected off a Duke defender for an own goal.
Tymrak said the game-winner stands as the greatest goal she has scored for UF. In a career filled with clutch goals, that is no easy decision.
As a sophomore in 2010, Tymrak registered both of the Gators’ goals in a 2-1 overtime victory against Georgia.
In a 2011 match against Texas Tech, she scored two goals and assisted on a third in the Gators’ 3-0 win.
She was named SEC Offensive Player of the Week after both matches.
“She likes to do the spectacular,” coach Becky Burleigh said. “She likes to entertain the crowd.”
This season, Tymrak has certainly done that, even when she hasn’t scored.
Halfway through the second overtime against North Carolina, Tymrak received a pass on Florida’s side of the field, outran one Tar Heel and dribbled past three more to create an opportunity inside the penalty box.
Tymrak was pulled down as she took the shot and the ball deflected off a defender, but the preceding run and maneuvering demonstrated Tymrak’s explosiveness and playmaking ability.
“What you do notice is her flair and creativity,” Burleigh said.
In addition to creating plays and scoring on her own, she also has one of Florida’s three assists this season, setting up Claire Falknor’s goal against Miami on Aug. 17.
“What she’s really, really put a lot of work into is being more disciplined and trying to be more organized,” Burleigh said.
“That’s not in her normal personality, so to do that is a big sacrifice that she’s making and I think it’s really paying off for us.”
Forward Erika Tymrak pushes the tempo against Kentucky in a game last season. Tymrak broke Florida's scoreless drought during the weekend with a goal in the 51st minute against Vanderbilt.
