Kara Scores Two Goals as Gators Win SEC Opener

The Florida Gator soccer team opened conference play with a 3-0 win over defending SEC Tournament champion LSU in the Bayou on Thursday night. SEC Offensive Player of the Week Vanessa Kara added two more goals to her season tally to help Florida get the win.

The Gators have now won three straight after four consecutive losses. In those last three wins, Florida has outscored its opposition 10-0.

Match Recap

The game kicked off two hours after its intended time because of a rain delay. However, that didn’t slow the Gators’ rhythm out of the gates. Kara continued her goal-scoring streak by netting the first goal of the game with 21:22 on the clock. Tess Sapone picked up the assist for her header.

Kara wasn’t done there.

Shortly after the halftime interval, Kara bagged her second of the night and her fifth in the last three games. Kit Loferski recorded the assist via a cross from the right side of the box.

From creator to finisher, Loferski sealed the victory for the Gators with a lovely left-footed strike from 16 yards out in the 62nd minute.

https://twitter.com/GatorsSoccer/status/1174910469842206720?s=20

Deanne Rose did not make an appearance in the match. Coach Becky Burleigh said that Rose and her staff are taking things “one day at a time.”

Reactions to the Win

Coach Burleigh was happy with how things went, especially considering the long rain delay her team went through.

“To endure a two-hour delay and to be able to come out with the urgency that we did, I’m really proud of our team,” said Burleigh.

However, good coaches always nitpick and look for things to improve.

“I think it is never easy to go on the road in the SEC, get a shutout and score three goals. I think we could’ve been a little more clinical in our finishing as we definitely had some great chances,” Burleigh said.

What’s next?

The 5-4 Gators will be heading back to the Diz to face Missouri next Thursday. The game will kick off at 6:30 p.m.