The No. 8 Florida Gators soccer team (2-0) will square off against No. 18 Texas A&M (1-1, 0-0 Big 12), in the opening match of the First Tennessee Lady Vol Classic in Knoxville, Tenn., today at 5:30 p.m.
The match is Florida’s first game of two in the classic as the Gators will face another top-20 team in the country in No. 15 UCLA (1-0) on Sunday at 1:30 p.m.
This is the second consecutive season the Gators have played two ranked teams in a regular-season tournament as they ended a 1-1, double-overtime game against then-No. 17 Duke and took a t-0 loss to then-No. 1 North Carolina during the Duke Nike Classic in Durham, N.C.
Last weekend, the Florida women opened the 2011 season with a pair of 2-0 road wins versus in-state compeition.
On Aug. 19, Florida used a goal in each half to defeat Miami in Coral Gables. Sophomore Taylor Travis put UF on the scoreboard in the 37th minute and freshman Havana Solaun hit her first collegiate goal from 16-yards in the 51st minute.
On Sunday at FIU, freshman Tessa Andujar gave UF the game-winning goal in the 40th minute when she placed in a ball off the scrum resulting from a Gator cross. Senior Tahnai Annis added a goal in the 63rd minute. With the goal, Annis moved into sixth on the Gators Career Points chart with 72 points off of 29 goals along with 14 assists.
All-American center back Kathryn Williamson was named the Southeastern Conference Defensive Player of the Week as well as the Soccer America National Team of the Week for shutting out the Hurricanes and Golden Panthers.
Texas A&M hits the road for the first time in this very young season after playing host to a pair of California teams last weekend. The Aggies opened the season with a 4-2 win over Fresno State as freshman Allie Bailey contributed the final two goals.
Florida is picked to repeat as the Southeastern Conference champions in the preseason vote by the league coaches. Texas A&M, the defending Big 12 champion, is picked to finish second behind Oklahoma State in a preseason vote by the Big 12 coaches.
Both matches can be heard on WRUF SportsRadio 850