Gators' resilience pays off with another SEC title

• by Soccer America , Oct 26, 2012

[SOUTH CAROLINA-FLORIDA] A three-goal outburst in the second half gave No. 16 Florida a 3-0 win at South Carolina and returned the SEC regular-season title to the Gators, their 12th in the 18-year history of the Florida soccer program.
 
The three points earned put Florida on top with 33 points, while Texas A&M finished second with 31 points after its 2-1 overtime win over Missouri Thursday.
 
A give-and-go play between junior transfer Adriana Leon and senior Erika Tymrak led to the Gators' first goal by Leon in the 65th minute.

Sophomore Annie Speese scored on a left-footed volley in the 73rd minute and finished off the scoring in the 87th minute.

Florida's title was remarkable, given the injuries that plagued the Gators this season. All-American defender Kathryn Williamson was sidelined after the fifth match with a knee injury. Sophomore Annie Bobbitt, who had taken Williamson’s spot after her injury, also suffered a knee injury last Friday at Alabama. Tymrak, Florida’s other All-American, missed three league matches after spraining an ankle against Tennessee.

“I think our team showed a lot of resilience in this 13-game schedule,” Florida coach Becky Burleigh said. "But ultimately I think this team really showed a lot of character in our ability to overcome the adversity we faced. Whatever it was, we dealt with it. Our depth really helped in that situation. I’m really proud of this senior group. They put winning the SEC as one of their big goals and they just willed us back to winning the SEC.”

SEC Tournament:
First Round
Oct. 29
Arkansas vs. South Carolina
LSU vs. Ole Miss
Quarterfinals
Oct. 31
Texas A&M vs. Arkansas-South Carolina winner
Tennessee vs. Auburn
Florida vs. LSU-Ole Miss winner
Kentucky vs. Missouri