Ashley Bruns became the second Gator to reach 100 career goals in the fifth minute of Friday’s game.
That was just the beginning of her record-breaking night.
The junior attacker set UF single-game records for goals and points in a game as she scored eight goals to go with three assists as No. 4 Florida defeated Siena, 23-5, at Donald R. Dizney Stadium.
“We ask a lot of Ashley, and the ball is in her stick a lot,” coach Amanda O’Leary said. “She just made some really great decisions.”
In the fifth minute, Bruns joined junior attacker Kitty Cullen as the only other 100-goal scorer in the program’s three-year history when she wrapped around the right post and put a shot in the top left corner of the net past Saints keeper Kristin Concordia.
Bruns was unaware of the milestone until it was announced over the PA system.
“It was such a surprise,” Bruns said. “I had no idea that I was even close to 100.”
Bruns scored the record-setting eighth goal, which also tied a program-record for team goals in a game at 22, with just over four minutes remaining in the game.
O’Leary said that Bruns’ records could be attributed to the overall talent level on the Gators’ roster.
“It’s a testament to our entire team,” O’Leary said. “In order for Ashley to get those goals, she needs to have the defense get her the ball. She needs to have her teammates be able to distribute the ball. I think this was a total team effort.”
Bruns put another shot in the net two minutes after her 100th career score on a man-up goal to put Florida up 5-2 at the 23:37 mark. She assisted on freshman midfielder Nora Barry’s sixth goal of the season 33 seconds later.
Bruns completed a hat trick a minute later when she gained control of the ball behind the net from Concordia and wrapped around the left post and scored before the keeper could get back in position.
Cullen, who finished the game with five goals and an assist, said Bruns set the tone for the offense throughout the game.
“She’s the quarterback of our attack,” Cullen said. “If we don’t have her behind the goal driving and distributing, we wouldn’t be able to do much else.”
Junior attacker Gabi Wiegand scored the last goal of the game to break the UF team record for goals in a game.
While Bruns was pleased with her performance, she said she does not expect the ink to have time to dry in the record book.
“It’s incredible,” Bruns said of her new records. “But then again, we have such great freshmen and such great players like Kitty, so I don’t think that (single-game goal) record is going to stand for very long.”
