Florida soccer ties Kentucky to secure first points of the season

The matchup between the Florida Gators and the Kentucky Wildcats ended in a tie. With this result, both coaches tallied their first points in SEC play.

The Gators dominated the first half, while the Wildcats put the pressure on in the second.

The Gators Strike First

Florida started off the game strong, putting pressure on Kentucky’s defense in the opening seconds of the half.

The Gators recorded five shots in the first half, compared to the Wildcats’ two.

In the 34^th minute, the Gators offense surged up the field. A cross was lofted into the box where both the Florida offense and Kentucky defense scrambled for the ball. With Kentucky keeper Tallulah Miller on the ground, Delaney Tauzel slotted the ball into the bottom right of the net.

🐊⚽️ gets on the board first with this left-footed @delaneyytauzel goal off assist from @JLeskauskas

More on 🐊⚽️-UK🐱 1-1 tie
🔗https://t.co/qwVBpmZ29O#GoGators | 🐊⚽️ pic.twitter.com/iENEl4GjGk

— Gators Soccer (@GatorsSoccer) October 16, 2022

The Gators defense and keeper Alexa Goldberg worked together to stave off the Kentucky forwards. At one point, Goldberg was off her line and the defense stepped into her place to save a goal.

With their strong first-half performance, Florida maintained the lead after 45 minutes.

The Wildcats Make a Comeback

Following halftime, Kentucky came out with speed and a sense of urgency. In the final 45 minutes, the Wildcats maintained most of the possession and gave only a few chances for the Gators to go up by two.

In contrast to the first half, the Wildcats recorded eight shots, while Florida managed one. With the game nearing its end, the Florida defense could no longer hold off Kentucky.

In the 80^th minute, the Gators defense could not clear the ball from their box. Similar to the Gators goal, the ball was placed in the box and a scramble ensued. Kentucky midfielder Madison Jones put the equalizing goal into the back of the net.

With just ten minutes remaining, both teams were hungry for the win. Kentucky got the last chance of the game with a free kick right outside Florida’s box. However, the ball was sent over the crossbar.

With this result, the Gators escaped a loss. The team is back in action on Oct. 20 with a home game against Vanderbilt.