It’s been a long time since an opposing team has been able to get four goals past Taylor Burke.
So long, she can barely remember.
During her 38 career wins in four years at Medina (Ohio) High, Burke played a state-record 1,243 consecutive minutes without a goal surrendered.
Through seven games as No. 12 Florida’s (8-3, 2-0 Southeastern Conference) top goalkeeper, she’s been similarly sensational with four shutouts.
Until Sunday’s 4-2 loss at Tennessee, Burke, a freshman, hasn’t had to respond to a game that would be best described as a confidence-shaker for most keepers, let alone one in her first collegiate season.
“It’s a little disappointing, but we’re definitely going to come back hard and work on what we need to work on to make up for that,” she said. “You just need to have a short memory, and you need to learn from it more than anything.”
With two more SEC clashes against Vanderbilt and Kentucky on the horizon, Burke has tried to push the tough end to last weekend out of her thoughts and focus on what she can improve on fundamentally.
Friday’s matchup at home against the offensively inept Commodores (6-4-1, 0-2 SEC), who were shut out two straight games to begin conference play, could provide a momentary reprieve for the goalie, but Burke will still require smarter play from her teammates.
“We don’t need to panic over one game,” coach Becky Burleigh said.
“Some of those were goals that we sort of inflicted upon ourselves. At times, we were numbers down and lots of things went on, so we just need to look at them individually.”
All three first-half goals against the Volunteers were fueled by turnovers, leading Burke to stress better communication with her back line in order to help notify them when pressure is coming.
Burke’s teammate at Medina High and current Gators forward Jillian Graff said that while last weekend was discouraging for Burke, she has a track record from her prep days of bouncing back from a loss.
“She’s not going to stop every shot, and not even the best goalie can stop everything, so I know she’s doing all she can,” said Graff.
As one of the top prospects to come out of Ohio last year along with Burke, Graff has also seen her teammate’s approach and mannerisms during a game change since they started playing Division-I soccer.
“She’s being a lot more vocal than she was in high school,” Graff said.
“Now, even when I’m on the bench, I can hear her directing people. She’s just showing that she can be a leader on the team.”
Contact John Boothe at jboothe@alligator.org.
Gators sophomore goalkeeper Taylor Burke makes a save against the Tennessee Volunteers during a game in 2011. Burke played the second half in Florida's 3-0 home loss on FSU on Friday night.
