The midfield tends to be a crucial factor in determining a winner of a soccer game.
The team that controls the middle of the field typically comes out on top.
Coach Becky Burleigh and the Florida soccer team didn’t have a problem being in command of the midfield in 2014. Led by Annie Speese, Havana Solaun and Tessa Andujar, the Gators finished the season deep into the NCAA Tournament — losing in an overtime quarterfinals loss to Stanford.
The trio accounted for nearlyhalf of the team’s 59 assists, good for second in the Southeastern Conference and sixth in the nation.
Unfortunately for this year’s squad, Speese, Solaun and Andujar were seniors in 2014, hence their absences on the 2015 roster.
The loss of some of the team’s most reliable creators has done little in taking away the Gators’ confidence in what they can achieve this season.
But the team doesn’t seem concerned with who’s not there. The focus is on who is ready to step up in their absence.
“There’s no real pressure I don’t think,” junior midfielder Liz Slattery said.
“We all know that no one is going to be like Havana (Solaun), no one’s going to be like Annie Speese, no one’s going to be like Tessa (Andujar) but we have our own things that we bring to the game and we’re going to bring it harder than ever. We’re not trying to fill anyone’s shoes, we’re just trying to make our own.”
Solaun, Speese and Andujar served as three of UF’s top four point-scorers in 2014, with 27, 20 and 16 points, respectively.
Juniors Savannah Jordan and Brooke Sharp are the only players on the current roster who had double-digit point totals in 2014.
Jordan, who led the team in both goals (19) and points (46), described her playing style as type of a “go-getter”, but she isn’t afraid to let the ball come to her.
“I would like to go out and get the ball, but at the same time there is times where I think the ball should come to me and kind of let the game play itself out.”Jordan said.
Florida is coming off one of its biggest recruiting classes in the program’s history. A total of 15 freshmen fill the Gators roster this season, nine of which are listed as midfielders.
Freshman Mayra Pelayo, a native of West Palm Beach, wasted no time getting settled into her new team, scoring a goal in the 32nd minute in the first game of the season — the first of two goals for UF in a 2-0 win over UCF on Friday.
Pelayo was frequently involved in the game throughout her high school years, totaling 18 goals and eight assists during her senior year at The Benjamin School in West Palm. She also managed 16 goals and 34 assists during her sophomore year at American Heritage-Delray.
Alongside Pelayo are fellow freshmen midfielders Briana Solis, Sara Troccoli and Samantha Chung — all of whom have played significant minutes in the Gators’ first two games.
Burleigh said if the midfielders play to the ability she knows they’re capable of, the Gators will overcome the absence of the departed seniors.
“We have a lot of midfielders here and we have a lot of people who are capable of keeping possession,” Burleigh said. “It’s not one person stepping up, it’s everybody doing what they’re capable off.”
Follow Kyle Brutman on Twitter @KBrut13
UF midfielder Mayra Pelayo hugs teammate Kristen Cardano after Pelayo scored the equalizer during Florida's 2-1 win against Troy in an exhibition match on Aug. 11, 2015, at the soccer practice field at Donald R. Dizney Stadium.
