For the third time in three games, the Florida Gators soccer team experienced a weather delay.
However, the players and fans at Donald R. Dizney stadium only had to wait 15 minutes for the action to start.
For the second straight game, three Gators found the back of the net for the first time in their career. Florida (2-1) scored three first-half goals to take down the North Florida Ospreys (1-2-1) 5-0 on Thursday night.
“It’s wonderful to see things start to come together,” head coach Samantha Bohon said. “Both for some of our players that have been here for a while and our newcomers coming in and making an instant impact.”
Florida was the aggressor early, getting the first corner and shot attempt of the game while dominating possession. The first shot of the game came from redshirt junior forward Tatum O’Coyne at the 3-minute mark, but her attempt was saved in the middle of the net by graduate goalie Sofia Miliancano.
At the 7-minute mark, the Gators got their corner chance. An opportunity was generated, but the attempt by redshirt sophomore forward Megan Hinnenkamp was saved by Miliancano once again.
Florida had another opportune look at the 17-minute mark, but the shot by sophomore defender Abby Gemma sailed to the left of the net. Redshirt freshman forward Addy Hess had a chance of her own at the 23-minute mark, but her shot went just to the left of the goalpost.
However, the Gators just needed one more chance to strike first. At the 25-minute mark, freshman forward Kai Tsakiris attempted a free kick that went straight to the bottom left of the net. Her first career goal gave Florida a 1-0 lead.
“It’s all about confidence,” she said. “Everyone here is so talented, but at the same time you have to know your strengths.”
Just over a minute later, another Gator scored her first career goal. At the 27-minute mark, freshman midfielder Sophia Sindelar finished off her left foot to the top right of the goal to put Florida up 2-0.
“I am a fan of shooting,” Sindelar said. “As soon as I saw I had that space I decided to go for it.”
The Gators had another opportunity at the 33-minute mark. Junior forward Lena Bailey dribbled from the left side and fired from outside the box, but the ball bounced off the top crossbar. Three minutes later, Sindelar had another opportunity, but her chance was off target to the left of the net.
“After hitting the crossbar, I was kind of like, ‘Dang it,’” Bailey said. “But I don’t think I could have done anything different.”
However, all Bailey needed was another chance.
At the 39-minute mark, her shot from the middle of the box took a favorable bounce off of an Ospreys defender into the left side of the net to make it a three-goal match.
“I'm not sure how I got the ball, but I know when I got it, I looked to my left a little and just turned and then shot it,” Bailey said. “It was very exciting just getting back into scoring mode.”
Florida went into the locker room with all of the momentum and didn’t allow a single shot attempt in the first half.
“We’re doing really good offensively,” senior forward Njeri Butts said. “But it doesn’t matter if we can’t bring that out defensively.
The Gators came right out of the break and kept their foot on the gas.
Just a minute into the second half, Hess found Butts on the left side, and she finished with the left foot to the left side of the goal to make it a four-goal match. Butts found the back of the net for the second straight game.
“I think I’m starting to get in my groove,” Butts said.
The Ospreys didn’t get their first shot attempt of the match until the 54-minute mark. Senior midfielder Chloe Lynch’s shot was saved at the bottom left of the net by redshirt junior goalkeeper Jayden Emmanuel.
Florida had a great window to score in the 59-minute mark with a corner attempt. Tsakiris’ attempt found redshirt sophomore midfielder Brinley Murphy, but her header traveled just over the goal.
Bailey and Tsakiris had chances off a corner kick at the 67-minute mark, but both attempts were off the mark to the right.
The Gators had another opportunity at the 77-minute mark, but the attempt by junior forward Amelia Malkin pushed to the right. Just a minute later, redshirt junior midfielder Madison Jones fired from outside the box, but it was saved by redshirt freshman goalie Chrissa Avery.
Florida scored its final goal at the 85-minute mark. O’Coyne received a precise pass from Malkin and finished with the left foot toward the bottom left of the net to make it a 5-0 match. It was also the first of her collegiate career after missing all of the 2024 season with an ACL injury.
“It’s been a long journey, and to finally get that has been really rewarding,” O’Coyne said. “I’m just so happy to be here, healthy and playing again.”
For the rest of the duel, Florida tightened their grip on the Osprey offense, as they allowed just two shot attempts in total and held on defensively for its second straight victory. The Gators outshot UNF 21-2 in the contest.
“I’m excited about a shutout,” Bohon said. “I think that’s something that’s really important to us.”
Florida will conclude its three-game home stand against the Central Florida Knights at 7 p.m. Thursday.
Contact Adrian Carmona at acarmona@alligator.org. Follow him on Twitter @abcarmona04.
Adrian Carmona is a third-year journalism major and the Summer 2025 baseball reporter. In his spare time, he enjoys completing Sporcle quizzes and ranting about Miami sports.
