Maggie Rodgers knew Erika Tymrak was going to score.
With Florida trailing New Mexico 2-1 and the team in the locker room during a lightning delay, Rodgers was sure the senior midfielder would tie the game.
“I had this feeling,” Rodgers said. “It was like the weirdest thing. We were all sitting in the training room, and I was like ‘Oh my gosh, Erika’s going to score,’ went up to her, told her it maybe like eight times, until she was like ‘Ok, I get it Maggie, I’m going to score.’”
Rodgers ended up being right. About a minute after the game restarted, Tymrak turned a pass from Annie Bobbitt into UF's second goal of the day.
The Gators would add a goal from Holly King in the 66th minute and defeated the Lobos 3-2 on Sunday afternoon.
Florida's defense struggled early in the match.
All-America defender Kathryn Williamson missed Sunday’s game, and she will be out indefinitely due to a torn right meniscus, according to coach Becky Burleigh.
“[Williamson] is such a great player and such a big loss for our team, so there’s such big shoes to fill,” said Bobbitt, who filled in for Williamson on the back line.
The Gators defense made a costly error early in the game, trying to cross the ball ...through its own penalty box. New Mexico midfielder Rachel Montoya intercepted the cross and scored the game’s first goal.
“We played a part in the goals New Mexico scored,” Burleigh said. “Credit them for finishing them with efficiency, but we’ve just got to be a little bit better about not giving away free chances.”
On offense, Florida missed several opportunities early.
Tymrak had a shot deflected in the eighth minute, and junior Adriana Leon had a shot that hit off the post in the 35th minute. The Gators ended the first half with six shots but had not registered a shot on goal.
Sophomore Annie Speese tied the game at 1 four minutes into the second half, but the Lobos pulled back ahead seven minutes later.
The real spark in Florida's offense came after the game was delayed 50 minutes due to lightning.
Tymrak tied the game in the 60th minute, and then senior King delivered the winning goal on a header off a free kick from Jo Dragotta.
“It's a big win,” King said. “We didn’t exactly play the way that we wanted to play…but it’s a good win before going into [Southeastern Conference] play, and we’ll be ready by then.”
Forward Erika Tymrak pushes the tempo against Kentucky in a game last season. Tymrak broke Florida's scoreless drought during the weekend with a goal in the 51st minute against Vanderbilt.
