For the second consecutive match, Florida soccer faced a tough road test, this time against an Arkansas program that has made 10 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances.
Just when it appeared the match was destined to end in a 1-1 draw, Arkansas stunned Florida in the closing seconds. In the 89th minute, Razorbacks freshman MacKenzie Gwin broke free on a counterattack, dribbled past the Gators' backline and fired the game-winning goal into the back of the net with just six seconds remaining.
Behind Gwin’s last-second heroics, Arkansas (6-4-4, 4-1-3 SEC) rallied from behind to defeat Florida (6-6-3, 2-4-2 SEC) 2-1 Sunday at Razorback Field.
The Razorbacks applied pressure early, earning their first corner kick in the fourth minute. On the ensuing set piece, junior forward Kyndal Ewertz attempted a flick-on header, but her effort sailed wide left of the goal.
Florida's attack struggled to find its rhythm early, but in the 13th minute, a series of crisp passes through the midfield created an opportunity for senior forward Zoe Main. She fired the Gators' first shot of the match, but her attempt was blocked by an Arkansas defender.
From there, the Gators began to settle into an attacking rhythm, frustrating the Razorbacks' defense and drawing six fouls by the 17th minute.
With both teams struggling to generate opportunities in the final third, set pieces became increasingly important.
In the 27th minute, Arkansas earned a free kick, and Ewertz had another opportunity to score with a header. However, she failed to make clean contact with the ball and sent it over the goal.
In the 32nd minute, senior forward Lena Bailey made a dangerous run on a fast break. Bailey shifted the ball onto her right foot and fired a powerful shot on goal, but Arkansas goalkeeper Keegan Smith made a terrific save to keep the match scoreless.
In the 41st minute, Arkansas earned two consecutive corner kicks but failed to capitalize on either set piece.
On the ensuing goal kick, Florida's midfield sparked a quick counterattack. Main dribbled into the Arkansas final third and delivered a perfectly placed pass to sophomore defender Katie Johnston. Johnston shifted the ball to her left foot and fired a brilliant strike into the back of the net, giving the Gators a 1-0 lead.
The Edmond, Oklahoma native entered the match as a substitute in the 36th minute and continued to prove her value off the bench, netting her fourth goal of the season.
Florida carried its 1-0 advantage into halftime, an encouraging sign for a Gators squad that entered the match with a 4-1-0 record when leading at the break this season.
In the 52nd minute, Bailey once again found herself with a fast-break opportunity and fired a left-footed shot, but Smith made a strong save, punching the ball out for a corner kick.
On its seventh corner kick of the match, Arkansas found the equalizer. Junior defender Madden McDonald delivered a dangerous cross into the box that struck forward Zoe Susi's leg before deflecting off Ewertz and into the back of the net, leveling the score at 1-1.
From there, both teams struggled to maintain possession as the match settled into a back-and-forth battle reminiscent of the opening minutes.
In the 66th minute, two video assistant reviews were initiated for potential penalty kicks against Florida. The first review found no clear evidence to overturn the call on the field, allowing play to continue.
Moments after play resumed, a collision occurred inside the penalty box between Florida's Kyra Taylor and Arkansas' Sabrina Jones. The Razorbacks challenged the no-call on the field, but after a lengthy review, officials determined there was insufficient evidence to award a penalty kick.
In the 70th minute, Gwin received a dangerous cross on the left side of the penalty box, but she rushed her attempt, sending the ball wide of the goal.
On the ensuing goal kick, Arkansas defender Cora Hair committed a dangerous challenge on Florida sophomore forward Addy Hess, resulting in a yellow card. The Gators challenged the decision, arguing that the tackle warranted a red card, but after a VAR review, the original yellow-card decision was upheld.
In the 77th minute, sophomore midfielder Adia Symmonds made an impressive run into the Arkansas penalty area and delivered a dangerous pass across the box, but Smith came off her line to collect the loose ball.
Moments later, Johnston made another threatening run into the Razorbacks' final third and fired a powerful strike that hit off the left post.
In the 82nd minute, Taylor surged down the right side of the pitch and dribbled into the 18-yard box. The forward shifted the ball onto her left foot and curled a dangerous shot toward goal, forcing Smith to make a spectacular save to keep the match tied.
Florida returns home on Thursday against Auburn (8-2-4, 4-2-1 SEC). Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Donald R. Dizney Stadium.
Contact Zach Moore at zmoore@alligator.org. Follow him on X @zach_moore27.
Zach is a junior sports journalism student in his third semester at The Alligator. He currently covers soccer for the Fall 2026 season after previously serving as the softball reporter. Zach also has experience as a play-by-play broadcaster in the Florida Collegiate Summer League for the Winter Garden Squeeze. In his free time, Zach enjoys going to the gym and watching sports, especially his favorite teams: the Minnesota Vikings, Arsenal FC, Houston Astros, Orlando Magic and Orlando City SC. A fun fact about Zach is that he is also an avid WWE fan.
