Florida talked all week about getting off to a fast start against Missouri after it experienced a pair hot and cold matches offensively against Florida Gulf Coast and Florida State last weekend.
The majority of the first half this Friday though, was eerily reminiscent of the loss to FSU as UF only managed one shot in the first 37 minutes.
However, thanks to Annie Speese, the rest of the game played out differently.
The Gators had only three shots up until the 43rd minute when the freshman midfielder received a pass from junior defender Jo Dragotta at the top of the box and put a shot from about 20 yards out in the upper right corner of the net for the first goal of her career.
“Jo played the ball to me at the top of the 18, and I was looking to play a through ball to someone,” Speese said. “Then I saw I had an opening and took it.”
The Gators ended the first half with an offensive flurry, with Speese nearly scoring 37 seconds later with a header that went just wide of the net.
UF head coach Becky Burleigh said she felt like her team did a better job of controlling the ball late in the first half after the slow start.
“We were able to keep possession and switch at the point of attack,” Burleigh said. “That made it harder for them to play high-pressure against us.”
Burleigh said Dragotta was instrumental in the Gators being able to switch at the point of attack.
Speese would score her second goal in the 85th minute, again with help from Dragotta, who tapped a free kick to her. Speese took two dribbles and fired the ball into the upper left corner of the net to put the game out of reach.
After scoring just one point in the Gators’ first six games, Speese has come on strong, notching three assists in the win over Florida Gulf Coast in addition to her two-goal performance Friday night.
Florida’s defense was able to keep a clean sheet against a Missouri team that brought a seven-game winning streak into the match. The Tigers had averaged over nine shots on goal per game over their winning streak, and the Gators held them to just two for the game.
“The are not an easy team to limit to that few opportunities,” Burleigh said.
Florida is next slated for action on Sunday at Kansas, but will get to be spectators tomorrow as they will get to see a few former Gators take the field in Kansas City as the U.S. women’s national team takes on Canada.
Heather Mitts (1996-1999) and Abby Wambach (1998-2001), who were a part of the United States’ FIFA Women’s World Cup second-place team this past summer, will be going up against another former Gator, Melanie Booth (2003-2007).
