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Friday, March 29, 2024

Gators geaux the distance over LSU

Florida inches closer to SEC berth after Sunday’s win

Florida's Kit Loferski with the ball during Florida's overtime victory against Kentucky on Thursday.
Florida's Kit Loferski with the ball during Florida's overtime victory against Kentucky on Thursday.

After a costly Louisiana State turnover, graduate Kit Loferski barreled down the pitch, dribbling the ball effortlessly at lightning speed.

She drew in a helpless Tigers defender caught in a rut after attempting to stick to forward Alivia Gonzalez. The overcommit proved costly, and Gonzalez seized the opportunity once Loferski crossed the ball to her possession.

With a swift cut to the left and cross back to her right foot, Gonzalez laid down a bullet past LSU goalkeeper Mollee Swift for her second goal of the season.

Gonzalez then spun around to face her dazed defender and delivered the signature Gator chomp. 

Senior day celebration was a success on Sunday afternoon after the unranked Florida Gators placed a 4-0 beatdown on the unsuspecting LSU Tigers.

The Gators stole the early 1-0 advantage in the 14th minute of play. Loferski bent a left-foot shot from the right side of the field, and the ball rainbowed with grace but LSU goalkeeper Mollee Swift made the initial save before she fumbled the ball dangerously close to the goal line. 

UF forward Madison Alexander rushed the discombobulated keeper to tap in the loose ball to the back of the net.

Loferski took partial credit with an assist, even if the goal didn’t come directly off her cleats. She also joked after the game that Alexander should stand her ground on the posts more often to punch more opportunities like the one on Sunday.

Loferski tallied her own goal off a penalty kick in the 72nd minute after forward Kouri Peace drew a foul within the goal box. She finished Sunday with a goal and two assists.

A well-executed corner kick by midfielder Sydney Urban in the 62nd minute lined to a perfect spot of a three-player scrum. Defender Madison Young out-launched her teammates and defenders to headbutt the hovering ball into the roof of the net.

Sophomore goalkeeper Alexa Goldberg shined between the sticks, and the Florida defense held true to record a 4-0 shutout over the Tigers. LSU penetrated the Florida defense with three shots on goal, but Goldberg appeared to snag the ball every time.

Florida ends the season on Thursday with a home finale against the South Carolina Gamecocks (9-5-1). A victory over the Gamecocks will bolster Florida’s chances to enter the SEC tournament on Halloween. The Gators will need Texas A&M and Mississippi State to drop each of their next two games to assist a playoff berth.

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Contact Jesse Richardson at jrichardson@alligator.org. Follow him on Twitter @JesseRich352.

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