Women's Soccer

Parker Roberts’ 56th-minute goal hands Syracuse its first loss of the year, 2-1

Sam Ogozalek | Asst. News Editor

No. 8 Florida's offense kept the ball in the Syracuse zone for most of the game, finishing with 17 total shots.

Florida goalkeeper Susi Espinoza made two of her four saves in the final 10 minutes. For the majority of the game, the Gators kept the ball in the Orange zone and unleashed 17 shots, five on net, at SU’s Courtney Brosnan. But the Orange made up for lost time as the game neared the 90th minute.

No. 8 Florida (4-0-0) remained undefeated in large part to Espinoza’s late-game saves, beating the Orange (2-1-1), 2-1, in Syracuse’s first trip to Gainesville, FL since 2002. The Orange returns to SU Soccer Stadium to take on Cornell Thursday.

Florida’s defense stifled SU’s offense in the early minutes while the offense scored its first goal seven minutes in. Gabby Seiler secured her own blocked shot and fired it past Brosnan and into the net.

Sydney Brackett, who has produced 43 percent of Syracuse’s scoring output in 2017, scored her third goal of the season from eight yards out. The sophomore forward that only finished with one goal last year tied the game at one apiece after SU failed to let one shot off in the opening 23 minutes. Her third goal ranks tied for second in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

The Gators unleashed 11 shots in the first half, but only four reached Brosnan in goal. Much of UF’s offense came off corner kicks, attempting nine including four to start the second half.



Florida commandeered Syracuse’s zone for the first 10 minutes of the second half and capped off its possession dominance in the 56th minute when Parker Roberts scored what became the game-winner.

 





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