NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Taylor Travis and McKenzie Barney scored goals, goalie Katie Fraine had her 22nd career shutout and No. 7 Florida ended a five-match road trip with a 2-0 victory over Vanderbilt at the VU Soccer Complex.
Florida (8-1-1, 2-0 SEC) outshot the Commodores (4-5-1, 0-1-1 SEC) 18-10 and 8-4 in shots on goal. Florida coach Becky Burleigh said her team lacked a finishing touch, which the Gators have been trying to develop.
“We are doing everything but finishing. We held the ball well, looked sharp – everything but finishing,” Burleigh said. “We were frustrated at our lack of finishing. That allowed Vanderbilt to stay in the game much longer than we would have liked. But at the end of the day, we are 2-0 on the road with two shutouts, so it’s hard to really complain about that. We are really pushing this team to be better and better.”
Freshman Taylor Travis took advantage of a ball in the box to score her second goal of the season to open the Gator scoring. The ball was brought down the center of the field and Tahnai Annis crossed a high ball into the box. Ashlee Elliott challenged the VU goalkeeper Rachel Bachtel along with a VU defender and Bachtel cleared the ball, but it was still loose in the box. Travis found the ball on the right side of the box, sending her shot to the upper slot at 13:51 for the Gators first opening half goal in five matches.
The Gators responded to a Commodore surge on the Gator goal with a score in the 79th minute. The Commodores recorded four shots in a touch over a three minute period beginning in the 74th minute. A halftime talk between teammates Barney and Elliott led to the Gators’ final goal.
“Ashlee (Elliott) and I actually talked at halftime about the exact situation that led to the goal. I said if you are bringing the ball up and their defense is shifting strong side, I’ll pop out weak side and you can play me a far post ball,” Barney said. “That’s exactly what happened. Ashlee took a few touches up, she committed the defense and then she found me far post. I think one of their defenders got a little of her head on it or else she misjudged it and I just took it the rest of the way. The keeper was off her line, so I just kind of dinked it over her. It was one we definitely needed to finish so I’m glad I did. But if Ashlee hadn’t sent that great ball, the goal wouldn’t have happened.”
Florida goalkeeper Katie Fraine recorded her 22nd career solo shutout Sunday, moving her into sole possession of the Gator record. Florida returns home to play host to a pair of league matches—Friday against Mississippi State at 7 p.m. and Sunday against Mississippi at 1:30 p.m. Friday’s match is Florida’s “Kicking for a Cure” match as the Gators look to raise breast cancer awareness. The Gator team gathered in mid-September and created 400 pink tie-dye shirts. Those shirts will be given out to the first 400 fans at Friday’s match.