Gators fall 2-1 to Aggies in SEC match
COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Kendall Ritchie hit a booming free kick from 45 yards out that found the back of the net Thursday to lift Texas A&M to a 2-1 win over No. 6 Florida in SEC soccer play.
Florida fell to 7-2 overall and 1-1 in the SEC, while the Aggies improved to 5-2-1, 1-1.
“The toughest part of that game was getting the ball to the ground,” UF coach Becky Burleigh said. “Then we didn’t do a good enough job of keeping it once it got on the ground. You have to give credit to A&M for being really disruptive. They kept playing a lot of long balls and the game was really physical. I’m sure that is something we will see again so it will be a good learning experience.”
Cienna Arrieta gave Texas A&M a 1-0 lead at intermission.
Florida tied the match at 1-1 in the 47th minute when Deanne Rose chipped the ball in over a charging back line. Rose has three consecutive goals for Florida, as she scored twice Sunday in Florida’s 2-1 win at Iowa State.
Ritchie’s game-winner came with 24 minutes remaining.
SWIMMING & DIVING
Gators ready for 8th All-Florida Invitational
Florida’s men’s and women’s swimming & diving teams are set for the 2017-18 season to begin Friday with the All-Florida Invitational at the O’Connell Center. Both UF teams are prepared to claim their eighth consecutive All-Florida title.
“This meet is a great opportunity to see where we are at the beginning of the season,” Florida coach Gregg Troy said. “The goal is to see what skills we need to develop more and what areas of weakness we need to strengthen.”
The men and women each welcome 10 newcomers this season and although they are each highly decorated, the All-Florida Invitational is a great opportunity to help them transition to the college stage.
“This meet is a fantastic transition for the newcomers since we run it almost exactly like the NCAA format,” Troy said. “It is unusual for a team to run this type of meet this early in the season, but we like to give the incoming swimmers and divers the dynamic that they will see late in the year.”
The meet kicks off at 10 a.m. with the women’s 200 freestyle relay. Friday’s finals session is set for 7 p.m.
MEN’S TENNIS
Gators host tourney
The Florida men’s tennis team will host its only fall tournament of the season. UF welcomes nine teams for the Gator Ranked +1 tournament that will start at 9 a.m. Friday and concludes Sunday.
The Gator Ranked +1 tournament will feature some of the top talent in the country, as 16 players ranked in the International Tennis Association top 125 will be in attendance, including five ranked inside the top 50.
North Florida, Louisville, Wake Forest, South Carolina, Illinois, Tennessee, Kentucky, Tulane and Mississippi State join Florida at the Ring Tennis Complex.
“Our guys have a great opportunity this weekend to raise their level of play,” UF coach Bryan Shelton said. “Our goal is to make the most out of each match and improve in multiple ways throughout both tournaments.”
The soccer team has only beaten one opponent by more than a point and lacks any offensive explosiveness. There was certainly a lack of shots on goal against A&M.
They are only very average so I have very low expectations.
The volleyball team is having a spectacular year with lots more slams than dinks. Very very high on them. And then of course there is Carli Snyder’s serves which are something to behold.
Can’t wait for softball.