The Gators were minutes away from their second straight loss to a Southeastern Conference bottom-feeder Thursday night, but they avoided disaster as they finally found their finishing touch.
No. 13 Florida (14-4, 7-2 Southeastern Conference) defeated Arkansas (4-12, 2-7 SEC) 2-1 in overtime in Fayetteville, Ark., thanks to two late goals after giving up an early score for the second straight game.
The Gators recent finishing struggles came to an end with a game-tying goal in the 80th followed by a golden goal in the 92nd minute when senior midfielder Lindsay Thompson brought the ball up outside and sent a cross to the back post. Freshman midfielder Havana Solaun headed it in near post for her sixth goal.
The majority of the game was eerily reminiscent of Florida’s 1-0 loss to Mississippi State on Sunday, in which UF gave up a goal 37 seconds into the game and controlled the ball the rest of the match but squandered numerous scoring chances.
Three minutes in, Arkansas, the lowest-scoring team in the SEC with just nine goals on the season prior to the game, took a 1-0 lead when junior forward Allie Chandler shook a tackle attempt from Gators center back Annie Bobbitt just outside the box and finished from 20 yards out.
Like Sunday, the Gators had total control of the ball after giving up the early goal, but they were unable to capitalize. They recorded 12 shots in the first half, while the Razorbacks’ only shot was the one they netted.
Gators’ head coach Becky Burleigh said it was frustrating that her team gave up the early goal.
In the second half, Arkansas opted for a conservative style of defense, dropping several players into the penalty box to help thwart many Florida chances.
“They were not trying to win,” Burleigh said.
“They were just trying to put people in front of the ball.”
The Gators broke through to tie it in the 80th minute thanks to midfielder Brooke Thigpen. Freshman forward Annie Speese played a free kick to midfielder Jo Dragotta near the end line on the right side and Dragotta sent the ball into the middle of the box, where Thigpen emerged from the ensuing scrum to put it past Lillard for her first goal of the season.
Said Burleigh: “That is exactly why we put her in there — to have an extra attacker out of the back.”
Sophomore midfielder Havana Solaun scored the first goal of the game against Ole Miss early in the first half. Solaun leads the Gators with four goals on the season.
