Tonight, the No. 5 Gators (3-1-0) will travel to Tallahassee to take on in-state rival No. 1 Florida State (4-0-0).
This game will mark Florida’s second-consecutive Friday night matchup against a top-three team, and third-straight road game.
The last time the Gators took on the Seminoles was in 2015 in Gainesville at James G. Pressly Stadium when they won 3-2.
“I recall it being very hot and losing my voice,” sophomore goalkeeper Kaylan Marckese said of last year’s matchup. “So, what that means to me is that it’s always a big game...but it is always a fun game, they are a good team to play against.”
Head coach Becky Burleigh, who has coached twenty-three games against Florida State during her twenty-one years at Florida, is no stranger to the Seminoles.
“Always really well coached, really well organized,” Burleigh said. “You know you have to deal with the differences in style of play because of the internationals, which is, you know, definitely a real thing. But that’s kind of what makes them special is that they kind of always present a different problem for you.”
Going into the game, Florida leads the all-time series 13-10.
The match airs on ESPN3 at 7 p.m.
Contact Lauren Staff at lstaff@alligator.org and follow her on Twitter @lstaff27.
UF soccer coach Becky Burleigh talks with her team following Florida's 5-2 win against Iowa State on Aug. 19, 2016, at James G. Pressly Stadium.
