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Joseph Erickson is a journalism major at the University of Florida. Originally from Winter Haven, he enjoys spending his time watching and talking about soccer.
  • VB: Gators Escape Mizzou with Fifth Set Comeback

    VB: Gators Escape Mizzou with Fifth Set Comeback

    Photo by Kristen Oliff / ChompTalk.com

    The No. 13 Florida Gators held off 24th-ranked Mizzou in the fifth set on Wednesday (25-22, 17-25, 29-27, 20-25, 15-12) to improve to 9-1 in the SEC.

    It was quite a back-and-forth affair. The Gators won the first, third and fifth sets, while the Tigers won the second and fourth sets.

    How It Happened

    In the first set, Florida led 16-8 at one point. However, the hosts mounted a bit of a comeback toward the end, bringing the score to 24-22, but it was too little, too late.

    The Gators also had a lead in the second set, albeit a narrow one. Florida led 8-6 after the first 14 points, but the Tigers put together a 12-to-2 run in the next 14 to even up the frame count.

    Set 3 was close from the jump. Florida picked up the first four points, followed by Mizzou collecting the next six. It stayed neck and neck until the very end, but the Gators pulled out a 29-27 win.

    In the fourth, the Gators played from behind for the entirety of the frame. Once Missouri got the lead at 3-2, Florida couldn’t muster enough of a comeback. The score ended 25-20 in favor of the hosts.

    In the fifth and final set, Florida had to play from behind once again. The Tigers led 8-4 at one point. Then, the Gators scored the next nine of 11 points to take the lead and close out the match.

    Stats

    Individual

    For the second-straight match, the Gators had four players with 10 or more kills. Thayer Hall led her team with 19 kills; none more important than the match-point kill in the fifth set. Holly Carlton followed with 13, and Paige Hammons and Rachael Kramer had 12 each.

    No one had a particularly great hitting day. Kramer was the most consistent (.348), but Hall (.231), Carlton (.257) and Hammons (.184) struggled to find consistency.

    Mizzou’s Kylie Deberg led the game with 27 kills. However, she also had 10 errors on 67 swings, bringing her to a clip of .254.

    Kramer and Marlie Monserez led the Gators in blocks with six and five respectively. Lauren Dooley added another four.

    Allie Gregory led the team in digs with 16 followed by Hammons and Monserez with 10 each.

    Team

    Missouri outscored the Gators in most team stats. The hosts led in overall points (111-106), kills (68-63), hitting percentage (.274-.247), assists (61-58) and aces (9-8). The only categories Florida held the advantage was for blocks (13.0-11.0) and errors (22-25).

    What’s Next?

    Florida’s next test will be at Ole Miss on Friday at 7:30 p.m. After that, the Gators will round out the weekend with another away fixture at Mississippi State on Sunday at 2 p.m.

    For the latest, follow @ChompTalk and @JEricksonReport on Twitter.

  • Quick Observations: Florida 84, Valdosta State 38

    Quick Observations: Florida 84, Valdosta State 38

    Photo by Kristen Oliff / ChompTalk.com

    The Florida women’s basketball team defeated Valdosta State 84-38 in the team’s final warm-up before the regular season begins.

    Here are a few of my quick observations from tonight’s contest:

    Point Guard Play:

    Junior Kiki Smith is the unquestioned leader of this team. Smith possesses all the tools necessary to succeed in the type of offense that head coach Cameron Newbauer wants to run.

    On Wednesday, she showcased her versatility as she led the team in scoring with 20 points and also collected 4 rebounds to go along with five assists.

    Sophomore Ariel Johnson started alongside Smith, but also saw extended minutes at the point.

    Johnson recorded a double-double with 13 points and 10 boards. More importantly, the offense didn’t appear to lose anything with Smith sitting on the bench.

    Johnson also played aggressively on the defensive end, which resulted in her coming away with five steals.

    Depth in the frontcourt:

    For the first time since Newbauer took over, the Gators have several options in the frontcourt.

    Zada Williams and Paige Robinson (DNP – Coach’s Decision) were the only true forwards on the team a year ago. This season, Texas A&M transfer Emer Nichols and freshman Faith Dut enter the equation.

    I particularly enjoyed watching when Newbauer played two bigs (Williams and Nichols, or Nichols and Dut) at the same time. It didn’t seem to hurt the spacing along the perimeter and we also saw Nichols’ ability to pass it inside for an easy basket.

    Williams finished with 13 points and 6 boards while Nichols added 10 and 7 respectively. Dut contributed 7 points and 5 rebounds.

    The Freshmen:

    Florida had a highly regarded class join the mix this season. We’ve already highlighted Dut’s performance, but all four newcomers made appearances in the game.

    Lavender Briggs got the start and scored nine points, including going 4-4 from the free throw line.

    Nina Rickards was one of the first players off the bench and added 7 points on 3-8 shooting. Rickards also pulled down 6 rebounds.

    Brylee Bartram struggled to find her shot, going 0-6 in 21 minutes of play.

    Kristina Moore:

    After missing the final 11 games of the season last year, it was important to see Moore on the court.

    Moore started for the Gators and finished with 5 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists.

    The Sydney, Australia native also throws discus for the UF Track and Field team.

    New approach?

    The first two seasons under Newbauer came with the slogan, “chuck it from the cheap seats,” indicating that they were a shoot first team.

    On Wednesday, Florida attacked the basket early and often. The Gators attempted 67 shots on the night and less than half of those (29) were from behind the three point line.

    Overall, Florida scored 40 points in the paint and also attempted 33 shots from the charity stripe.

    Injury Note:

    Florida will be without redshirt junior guard Danielle Rainey for the season. The Gators announced earlier on Wednesday that Rainey tore her ACL in a scrimmage last week.

    Emanuely de Oliveira also didn’t play as she is recovering from off-season surgery. She is expected to return in December.

    Quick stats (Florida):

    • FG%: 42
    • 3FG%: 17
    • FT%: 70
    • TO: 10
    • REB+/-: +9
    • Bench Points: 24

    Starting Five:

    • Smith
    • Johnson
    • Briggs
    • Moore
    • Williams

    What’s next:

    Florida will open the 2019-20 season with an away contest against Grambling State. The Tigers went 16-16 last season and faced two SEC teams in non-conference play (Auburn – L 48-97, and Alabama – L 55-73).

    The game is scheduled to tipoff at 7:00 on November 5.

  • Quick Observations: Florida 89, Lynn 71

    Quick Observations: Florida 89, Lynn 71

    Photo by Keith Gillett / Getty Images

    Here are some quick observations from Tuesday’s exhibition game between Florida and Lynn University. The Gators defeated the Fighting Knights 89-71.

    First things first:

    Honestly, this was the first I had heard of Lynn University. The small private school located in Boca Raton has an undergraduate enrollment of just over 2,000. The Fighting Knights went 25-7 last season in the Division II Sunshine Conference.
    Note: Florida opened the 2007-08 season with a 101-65 exhibition win over Lynn.

    The Floor General:

    It starts with the point guard. Andrew Nembhard is the floor general and has clearly taken on a leadership role with this team.

    In addition to dishing out six assists, the sophomore led the team with 17 points on 6-11 shooting (4-8 3FG).

    The Transfer:

    In perhaps the most anticipated debut since Mike White took over, Kerry Blackshear didn’t disappoint. Finishing with 16 points and 10 rebounds, the grad-transfer was also able to show off his shooting ability as he knocked down 2-4 from deep.

    Blackshear was able to play an inside-out game when he and freshman Omar Payne saw the court together.

    Speaking of Payne:

    Omar Payne is going to be fun to watch. Much has been made of his 7’6 wingspan, and he put it on display Tuesday night. The freshman blocked three shots and showcased his awareness with a pair of putback slams, including an emphatic one midway through the second half. Payne added 9 points on a perfect 4-4 from the field.

    Keyontae Johnson:

    Keyontae Johnson may be most athletic player on the team. His first half, fast break dunk got the crowd to their feet. The sophomore finished with 12 points and six rebounds.

    __________

    The Gators also got solid contributions from freshman guard Tre Mann (13 points), sophomore Noah Locke (9 points, 3-5 on 3FG).

    Heralded recruit Scottie Lewis had an efficient night with 5 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 blocks in 26 minutes of play. Lewis played unselfishly and did a lot of the little things that helped lead his team to the win.

    The Gators didn’t have an answer for Jordan Allen who lit up the scoreboard. Allen made 9-17 three pointers and finished with 35 of Lynn’s 71 points.

    Quick stats (Florida):

    • FG%: 52
    • 3FG%: 48
    • FT%: 58
    • TO: 17
    • REB+/-: +6
    • Bench Points: 22

    Starting Five:

    • Nembhard
    • Mann
    • Locke
    • Johnson
    • Blackshear

    What’s next:

    Florida opens the season on November 5 against North Florida. The Ospreys, from Jacksonville, went 16-17 last year and finished 9-7 in the Atlantic Sun Conference. Head coach Matt Driscoll enters his eleventh season at UNF.

    The Gators defeated the Ospreys 98-66 in Gainesville last November.

  • Gators in the NFL: Week 8

    Gators in the NFL: Week 8

    Photo by Amy Lemus / Getty Images

    Linebackers and defensive backs are the lifeblood of UF alums in the NFL, as about half of all active Gators in the League hail from either position group.

    In Week 8, almost all of the top performers were either linebackers or defensive backs.

    Janoris Jenkins (corner, New York Giants) turned in another exceptional outing, as he celebrated his Oct. 29th birthday with another interception. The eight year veteran is second in the NFL with four interceptions, trailing only the New England Patriots’ Devin McCourty (5). Jenkins also defended a pass and made three tackles (all solo), including one for a loss in a 24-10 loss at the Los Angeles Rams.

    Chauncey Gardner-Johnson (corner, New Orleans Saints) also had a nice game as he made his second career start. The rookie made five tackles (four solo), including one in the backfield, and also defended two passes as the Saints beat the Arizona Cardinals 31-9.

    Jon Bostic (linebacker, Washington Redskins) flew around the field yet again for the Redskins, recording his seventh-straight game of seven tackles or more. Bostic brought down nine ball carriers (seven solo) in a 19-9 defeat to the Minnesota Vikings. He also got his first sack of the season.

    Also recording his first sack of the year was Jarrad Davis (linebacker, Detroit Lions). The third-year player nabbed five tackles (three solo), a quarterback hit, a defended pass, and a forced fumble in addition to the sack. He helped the Lions defeat the Giants, 31-26.

    While Davis forced a fumble, Vernon Hargreaves III (corner, Tampa Bay Buccaneers) recovered a loose ball. Hargreaves’ Bucs may have suffered a 27-23 loss at the Tennessee Titans, but the corner had a decent day himself, recording five tackles (four solo), a defended pass and the fumble recovery.

    When the Rams took on the Bengals, two former Gators in Carlos Dunlap (defensive lineman, Cincinnati Bengals) and Dante Fowler Jr. (edge rusher, Los Angeles Rams) squared off as well, and each had a strong performance.

    Dunlap made his first appearance since Week 5, as he returned from a hamstring injury. He had three tackles (all solo), a deflected pass and two quarterback hits. However, Fowler had the more productive day, as he registered four tackles (three solo), a tackle for loss and 1.5 sacks, helping lead the Rams to a 24-10 victory.

    The normally consistent Eddy Piñeiro (kicker, Chicago Bears) had difficulty booting the football in a 17-16 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. Despite scoring 10 of the Bears’ points, Piñeiro missed two of five field goals — one from 33 yards in the first quarter and one from 41 yards to conclude the game — to seal his team’s one-point loss. The kicker’s three makes all came in the second quarter from a distance of 25 yards or less. He is now 12 of 15 on the season with all his misses coming between 30 and 49 yards.

  • VB: Thayer Hall Named SEC Offensive Player of the Week

    VB: Thayer Hall Named SEC Offensive Player of the Week

    Photo by Brian Fox / ChompTalk.com

    Thayer Hall was named SEC Offensive Player of the Week for the second time this season on Monday. She received the honor for her part in the Gators’ wins over Alabama on Friday and Tennessee on Sunday.

    The Numbers

    Against Alabama, Hall had a career night. She led all hitters with 15 kills on 31 swings. Incredibly enough, she had zero attack errors in the match. She finished with a clip of .484, the highest percentage of her career.

    Additionally, she picked up an ace, three blocks and five digs.

    Most recently against the Volunteers, Hall notched 13 kills and four errors on 37 swings for a .243 hitting percentage. She also finished with 11 digs, three blocks and two aces.

    Overall in the two matches, Hall averaged four kills per set, a .353 clip, 4.93 points per set and 2.29 digs per set.

    What’s Next?

    The 13th-ranked Florida Gators are back on the road for the next three matches. On Wednesday, the Gators face No. 24 Missouri. First serve is set for 9 p.m.

    For more of the latest, follow @JEricksonReport and @ChompTalk on Twitter.

  • Mullen’s Monday Presser: Cocktail Party Edition

    Mullen’s Monday Presser: Cocktail Party Edition

    Photo by John Korduner / Getty Images

    Once again, Dan Mullen and the Florida Gators are preparing for the biggest game of the season. Saturday’s contest with Georgia will be the third top-ten matchup the Gators have played in the past five weeks. The team used last week’s bye-week to rest up, get healthy, work on fundamentals, and to begin preparing for their next opponent. With the bye in the books and the official start to game week upon us, Mullen met with the press to provide updates and discuss the rivalry.

    For the first time since their second game of the season, the Gators are expected to be at full strength. Kadarius Toney is expected to bring his explosive playmaking ability back to the field on Saturday. On the defensive side of the ball, the Gators are anticipating the return of prolific edge rushers Jabari Zuniga and Jonathan Greenard. All three will be welcome additions to the roster. However, Greenard may be the most important piece to the puzzle for Florida. In his two-week absence, the Gators have struggled to pressure the opposing quarterback and they have suffered in run defense as well.

    Florida enters the world’s largest outdoor cocktail party as 3.5 point underdogs. As usual, Mullen is unconcerned with what Vegas has to say about his team’s chances. “That’s more a Vegas deal,” Mullen said. “It would be a much bigger deal if we walked in and they spotted you the points one way or the other. Like, it would be a much bigger deal at that point.”

    The cocktail party has been played annually in Jacksonville, Florida since 1933 outside of 1994 and 1995 when it was played in Gainesville and Athens, respectively. Recently, an extension was signed that guarantees the game to be played in Jacksonville through at least 2023. Mullen was pressed with a question regarding the significance of the neutral site and whether he believed it would ever change.

    “I think it’s a really unique scene for college football,” declared Mullen. “There’s not many games like this, in the country. So I think that part of it’s pretty special and I think it’s pretty good. I think a lot of the schools will look… you know, the landscape of college football is constantly changing but I think right now and for the next couple of years, it’s beneficial for that and we’ll see as it continues to move forward if that remains the case.”

    The Florida/Georgia rivalry is a particularly nasty one and there is little in the way of love between the two schools. Many are labeling this year’s game a de facto playoff quarterfinal. Mullen quickly dispelled any added grandeur, stating, “I think at this point in the season, it’s for first place in the SEC East which I think… all you can really control is winning the East. If you do that, you get an opportunity to go to Atlanta and play one game there.”

    With it being such a heated rivalry and a top-ten meeting, Mullen was asked if he does anything differently to get the team hyped up. “I don’t have to. You know what I mean? This is a big game. If our guys aren’t juiced to play in the game, then we’ve got problems. Right? I mean, you wanna come to Florida to play the big games and rivalry games like this. I’ve never thought that you have to… if I have to go and motivate our team, it ain’t much of a rivalry then.”

    The Gators have been especially dominant in the fourth quarter of games, outscoring opponents 85-21 this season. Naturally, Nick Savage deserves some of the credit in that regard as he is responsible for Florida’s strength and conditioning. Mullen was quick to give credit where it is due.

    “I think they do a great job, our strength and conditioning staff. You know, especially throughout the off-season. Not just, you know, making sure the guys are in shape but also developing that mental toughness,” said Mullen. “Anybody can do it when it’s easy, you know? When it gets hard, when you’re facing adversity, when you’re tired do you have the mental toughness to go push yourself to another level? And I think he does a great job and our staff does, at preparing guys for that, not just physically, but mentally.”

    The Gators will continue to prepare for a tough opponent over the remainder of the week. The World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party kicks off at 3:30 EST in Jacksonville this Saturday. Television coverage begins at 10:00 a.m. on the SEC Network with SEC Nation being on-site. The game will be televised on CBS at 3:30 and as always, you can follow along with the action on Twitter @ChompTalk and @MikeyPfeffer and tune into the Own The Fourth Quarter with myself and Will Miles, during the fourth quarter.

  • VB: Gators Beat Vols in Well-Rounded Showing

    VB: Gators Beat Vols in Well-Rounded Showing

    Photo by Kristen Oliff / ChompTalk.com

    The 13th-ranked Florida Gators improved to 8-1 in conference play with a three-sets-to-one victory over Tennessee (25-18, 25-20, 20-25, 25-17) in the O’Dome on Sunday.

    Individual Leaders

    Four different Gators reached at least 10 kills on the night. Paige Hammons led the way for Florida with 15 kills on 33 attempts.

    Through the first two sets, she had nine kills on 14 swings. This was only bested by Rachael Kramer. She picked up six kills in the first set and four in the second. She finished the game with 13 kills on 23 attacks and four errors for a clip of .391.

    The other two Gators to reach double digits in the kill column were Thayer Hall and Holly Carlton. Hall finished with 13 on 37, and Carlton completed the match with 10 on 22. She got her 10th on the final match point.

    None of the Gators could keep up with Tennessee’s Tessa Grubbs. She put away 22 kills on 42 attempts and gave away four errors for a .429 clip.

    What’s perhaps even more impressive than the Gators’ balance in kills was their balance defensively. Four players picked up at least 10 digs. Allie Gregory and Marlie Monserez led the way with 18 each, and Hammons and Hall added another 11 each.

    Lauren Dooley had another solid performance at the net with a team-high five blocks. UT’s Alyssa Andreno also picked up five blocks.

    One of the biggest factors differentiating the hosts and guests was serving efficiency. The Volunteers gave away 14 service errors to Florida’s eight. Additionally, the Gators picked up four aces to just one from Tennessee.

    Overall, Florida was the more efficient team. Although Tennessee had 19 more attacks, the Gators finished with one more kill. One of the reasons for this was the Gators’ phenomenal team play to dig up many of the Vols’ attacks. As a team, Florida finished with 72 digs to Tennessee’s 55.

    What’s Next?

    Next up, the Gators will hit the road to face No. 25 Missouri in Columbia. First serve is set for 9 p.m. on Wednesday.

  • WSOC: Gators Play to Double-OT Draw on Senior Day

    WSOC: Gators Play to Double-OT Draw on Senior Day

    Photo by Kristen Oliff / ChompTalk.com

    On what seemed an extra humid afternoon even by Gainesville standards, the No. 20 Gators (10-6-1) tied No. 8 South Carolina (12-1-3) in their last home game of the regular season.

    Summary

    First Half

    Florida came into Sunday’s match trying to rebound from a tough 1-0 loss at Tennessee on Thursday. The Gamecocks, meanwhile, had not lost since SEC play began just over a month ago.

    Over 700 fans piled into Donald R. Dizney stadium on Sunday to help the Gators celebrate senior day, but they were left wanting more after the first half.

    Other than a chance in the opening minutes when freshman Kouri Peace almost found the back of the net for Florida, both teams struggled to carve out solid attacking opportunities.

    The game was scoreless heading into halftime. The Gators registered five shots compared to South Carolina’s two.

    Second Half

    Junior forward Deanne Rose, who was subbed on at the start of the second half, brought needed energy to Florida’s forwards. She and freshman Peace each generated some chances when play resumed.

    The Gators did not break through until the 70th minute, though, when center back Julia Lester won the ball back in midfield. She looked up and fed Rose who slid the ball past the oncoming South Carolina keeper to put Florida up 1-0. It was fitting that Lester, a senior, registered her first point for the Gators since 2017 on Senior Day.

    The Gamecocks proved they came to fight just 13 minutes later, though, when they equalized against the run of play. Sophomore forward Riley Tanner was on the end of a ball over the top and fired a shot from the left side of the box past Susi Espinoza.

    Rose had a close-range effort saved in the 85th minute, but neither team could find a winner in regulation. South Carolina would head to overtime for the third time in their last four games.

    Each team registered three shots after regulation, but none would find their way to the back of the net. After 110 minutes, the match ended in a 1-1 draw, the first draw of the season for the Gators.

    Gator Outlook

    Florida next plays on Thursday when they travel to Athens, Georgia to face a Bulldogs team clinging to a spot in the SEC tournament (7-6-1).

    After the Georgia game, Florida begins postseason play in the conference tournament. The top ten SEC teams make it, and Florida sits near the top of the standings. The Gators trail only South Carolina in points in the SEC East table.

  • VB: Gators Pick Up Third Straight Sweep Against Alabama

    VB: Gators Pick Up Third Straight Sweep Against Alabama

    Photo by Kristen Oliff / ChompTalk.com

    The Florida Gators improved to 16-3 (7-1) after a sweep over Alabama in the O’Dome (25-18, 25-16, 25-16). Florida sits atop the Southeastern Conference standings alongside Georgia and Kentucky.

    How It Happened

    Although the Gators picked up a clean sweep over the Crimson Tide, head coach Mary Wise will still expect to see better volleyball in the future.

    “I think at this point in time in the season, when we’re still not to the halfway point in the SEC, that’s encouraging,” said Wise. “Our best volleyball is still ahead of us.”

    Florida started the match slowly defensively. In the first set, they only picked up one block. However, clean and efficient hitting from Thayer Hall and Paige Hammons overshadowed any defensive missteps the Gators had. Additionally, Florida’s serving was phenomenal out of the gate. Hammons picked up both Gator aces in the first set.

    Moving onto the second set, Florida’s defensive efficiency improved slightly, but not a whole lot. They picked up two blocks in the second set. Again, though, the Gators continued to hit and serve well. After picking up five kills in the first, Hall added another four in the second. Lauren Dooley chipped in with three. Holly Carlton picked up two aces, and Hall and Hammons registered one more each.

    Finally, in the third set, Florida’s efforts at the net started to materialize into points. The Gators beat the total from the first two sets in the final set alone with four blocks. Hammons and Allie Gregory tacked on two more service aces, Hall put away another five kills, and Dooley and Carlton converted all three of their swings into scores.

    “Our defense definitely struggled in the first two sets, but I’m proud of us for finding adjustments and getting better throughout the match,” said Gregory. “We didn’t start bad and end bad; we started bad and ended great, which is a good sign, and we’re going to carry that into Sunday.”

    Final Stats

    Hall led the way with 15 kills on 31 attempts. What’s impressive about her performance is that she made no errors on the night, ending up with a clip of .484. Alabama’s Doris Carter kept up with Hall for much of the match and finished with 14 kills on 33 attempts with three errors for a hitting percentage of .333.

    As a team, the Gators hit .391 to Alabama’s .208. Florida also led in blocks (8-4), digs (39-37), and aces (8-1).

    What’s Next?

    The Gators are sticking around for another match at home on Sunday. The Tennessee Volunteers are visiting and have lost their last three matches. First serve is set for 1 p.m.

    For more of the latest, follow @ChompTalk and @JEricksonReport on Twitter.

  • WSOC: Gators Look Dull in 1-0 Defeat At Tennessee

    WSOC: Gators Look Dull in 1-0 Defeat At Tennessee

    Photo by Kristen Oliff / ChompTalk.com

    The Gators traveled to Knoxville on nearly a week’s rest and having won seven of their last eight games. The Volunteers were 8-5-2 overall, but struggling in conference play, posting a 2-4-1 SEC record.

    It was the Vols, though, who would help themselves to a win, defeating a drab Florida side 1-0.

    Summary

    The Gators began the game holding more possession and attacked in their usual fashion, getting the ball out wide to the wings and either crossing or cutting in from there.

    Florida came close to opening the scoring from such a chance. In the 31st minute, Kit Loferski beat her defender on the wing with a step-over before sending in a low cross to a waiting Kouri Peace. Peace, facing an open net, could not direct her effort on target.

    The first half came to a close with a Tennessee chance, when midfielder Katie Cousins’ curled shot was routinely saved by Susi Espinoza. Both teams registered four shots by the break, but few were threatening.

    The Volunteers would strike soon after play resumed, when in the 51st minute Florida defender Carina Baltrip-Reyes gave the ball away to forward MA Vignola in the Gators’ half.

    After a missed clearance by Sammie Betters, Vignola found Cousins in the box, who easily slid the ball past a hopeless Espinoza to put the Volunteers up 1-0.

    Tennessee was unlucky not to score again in the 60th minute, when Vignola was put through on goal with a sleek pass from Isabella Cook, but her long shot hit the post.

    Florida is familiar with comeback victories, like their most recent 2-1 win against Auburn, and as the second half continued it looked like the Gators had it in them.

    They began to look the better team and generated some chances until the 81st minute, when Loferski was awarded a foul at the top of the Tennessee box. Loferski, who, along with the most of the Gators, had been pestered all night by Tennessee’s characteristically tough SEC-caliber defense, let her emotions get the best of her and yelled at the ref, who promptly sent her off for dissent.

    The Gators would finish the game with 10 women and their first loss since Oct. 10.

    Florida had 14 shots, 7 on target at the final whistle, compared to Tennessee’s 7, 3 on target.

    Gator Outlook

    Florida holds a 10-6 record with two games left in the regular season. The team has a comfortable grip on third in the SEC standings, but next plays No. 8 South Carolina on Sunday afternoon.