Heading into Sunday, the task was clear: Take down the reigning national champion, Florida State, who came to town riding a 36-game nonconference unbeaten streak.
But the Seminoles’ recent success didn’t faze the Gators on Sunday.
Florida (2-1) snapped its eight-game losing streak to Florida State (3-1) with a 3-1 win at Donald R. Dizney Stadium. The remarkable triumph was one of the biggest upsets in the country and gave Florida fans hope that the Nick Zimmerman era will provide excellence.
“Just an absolute team win,” Zimmerman said. “The energy, whether you play 90 minutes or no minutes, it’s just folks coming together as a team. This is a huge win for our program and organization. We’re going to celebrate, enjoy it and then get back to work.”
Florida had the backing of a packed Donald R. Dizney Stadium, with Sunday’s victory breaking the soccer attendance record with an announced crowd of 1,632 spectators.
Sophomore midfielder Tatum Borman recorded the first chance of the match for the Gators. In the fifth minute, she found herself with plenty of space just outside the FSU 18-yard box, but her shot sailed just over the net.
Five minutes later, forward Kyra Taylor received an incredible ball from freshman Iori Watanabe and appeared to put the Gators ahead 1-0. However, FSU goalkeeper Kate Ockene made a last-ditch save to keep the match scoreless.
Playing a high press, Florida looked vastly improved in the first half Sunday compared to Thursday’s match, and the energy inside the Diz appeared to signal that an opener was coming.
Florida won a corner kick In the 22nd minute, which was taken by forward Zoe Main. She sent an excellent ball into the box, and a header from Mia Gray found Taylor’s right foot for an easy tap-in, giving Florida a 1-0 lead.
The last time the Gators scored first and held a lead against the Seminoles was Sept. 2, 2021, in a 5-2 loss.
Making her first start in goal this season, redshirt senior Jayden Emmanuel was phenomenal in the first half. She recorded two saves, including a crucial stop when FSU attacker Shaniel Buckley found herself one-on-one with the goalkeeper. Emmanuel dove to her right to make the save and preserve Florida’s lead.
Emmanuel was overcome with emotion following the victory.
“It’s been a long time coming,” Emmanuel said. “I’ve been here for five years, and to see how much we’ve grown to where we are now is really special. They said we dictate what a Gator is and show who we are, and that’s what we did here today. We played hard, and we played smart.”
Redshirt sophomore Norah Abbott had a chance to extend Florida’s advantage in the 36th minute. She curled a shot toward the goal, but Ockene made another save. The FSU goalkeeper was kept busy throughout the first half, making four saves.
Florida’s defense also showed significant improvement from its previous two matches. In particular, the duo of freshman Lael Hill and junior Skye Barnes helped contain a dangerous FSU attack that had scored nine goals in its first three matches.
The Gators held onto their lead for the remainder of the half, and there was a growing feeling inside the Diz that something special was unfolding Sunday afternoon.
Florida State recorded the first shot of the second half. Sophomore midfielder Nyanya Touray found space and fired a left-footed shot, but Emmanuel kept it out for her third save of the match.
In the 61st minute, the duo of Main and Taylor connected again. Main made an incredible run down the right side and sent a picture-perfect cross to Taylor, who slotted a left-footed shot into the back of the net to give Florida a 2-0 lead.
Main nearly made it 3-0 moments later when she fired a shot from just inside the 18-yard box, but Ockene stood strong to make the save.
In unfamiliar territory, the Seminoles were reeling and frustrated. Florida State committed 13 fouls, and senior forward Nyah Rose received a yellow card.
With a 2-0 lead, it was all hands on deck for the Gators’ backline. Florida received a scare in the 62nd minute when Hill went down with an injury and was forced to leave the match. She had been playing lights out before coming off, with Gray replacing her.
Another scare came in the 71st minute when freshman midfielder Courtney Hogan received medical treatment before being replaced by Borman.
For the final 15 minutes, Florida parked the bus and relied on the counterattack, and freshly substituted senior forward Montelene Dymond delivered. She received a beautiful pass from Borman, made a solo run from the halfway line and dribbled around the goalkeeper for an easy tap-in to make it 3-0.
Down 3-0, FSU mustered one final attack. In the 82nd minute, freshman forward Ryder Ajeto slotted the ball into the back of the net to pull the Seminoles within two.
Florida continues its homestand Thursday against Jacksonville University. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m.
Contact Zach Moore at zmoore@alligator.org. Follow him on X @zach_moore27.
Zach is a sophomore sports journalism student in his first semester at The Alligator, covering softball. He also has experience as an intern in the Florida Collegiate Summer League. Zach enjoys watching sports in his free time, primarily the Minnesota Vikings, Orlando Magic, and Arsenal FC.
