Sophomore Erika Tymrak wasn’t going to allow No. 21 Georgia to ruin Senior Day for the No. 13 Florida Gators Sunday at Pressly Stadium.
Tymrak scored the game-tying goal in the 82nd minute of the two SEC powers’ match and then got the winning goal at 6:58 of overtime in Florida’s 2-1 victory.
Georgia (9-3-4, 4-1-3 SEC) was looking to add a second straight upset victory on the road after beating No. 14 South Carolina on Friday. The Bulldogs took a 1-0 lead when sophomore Laura Eddy took advantage of a Florida turnover and beat Katie Fraine from six yards out.
But the Gators (12-2-2, 6-1-1 SEC) didn’t panic.
“We never thought it was going to be one of those days,” Florida coach Becky Burleigh said. “I knew that we were going to get the equalizer. It was coming. It was just a matter of time.”
After numerous missed scoring opportunities for the Gators, Tymrak scored an unassisted goal after moved down the middle of the field and booted a 15-yard shot past Georgia goalie Ashley Baker.
With four minutes remaining in regulation, Tymrak gave Florida another scoring opportunity when she was fouled inside the box by Bailey Powell, giving the Gators their first penalty kick of the season. Lindsay Thompson took the shot, but Baker guessed correctly and deflected the kick in the air back to Thompson, whose header soared high and wide.
“I’m sure Georgia would have settled for a tie, so we had to really push the pace,” Burleigh said. “That’s the one thing our style of play will do, it will take a lot out of another team that’s chasing.”
Tymrak’s winning goal came off a feed from Thompson and her shot from 23 yards out beat Baker at 96:58. It was the first multi-goal match of Tymrak’s career.
“I was at the top of the (penalty) box and I was just looking for something,” Tymrak said. “I remember Vic (associate coach Victor Campbell) telling me ‘Just gamble and take a shot and maybe it will go in.’ So I took a shot, and it went in.”
The victory kept Florida tied with South Carolina for the SEC lead with 19 points.
Florida begins its final week of Southeastern Conference action Thursday when it visits LSU (6-6-4, 3-2-3 SEC). Match time is set for 8 p.m. at the LSU Soccer Complex.
Eugenio Torrens of UF Communications contributed to this report
No. 13 FLORIDA 2, No. 21 GEORGIA 1, OT
James G. Pressly Stadium / Gainesville, Fla. / Sunday, Oct. 17, 2010
Scoring summary 1 2 OT—Total
Georgia 1 0 0—1
Florida 0 1 1—2
1. UGA: Laura Eddy (unassisted) 11:05
2. UF: Erika Tymrak (unassisted) 81:43
3. UF: Tymrak (Lindsay Thompson) 96:58
Goalkeepers Min Svs GA
Ashley Baker (UGA) 96:58 5 2
Katie Fraine (UF) 96:58 3 1
Statistics UGA UF
Shots 13 13
Shots on goal 4 7
Saves 5 3
Corner Kicks 0 7
Fouls 10 6
Offside 1 3
Cautions: None.
SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE STANDINGS
EASTERN DIVISION SEC (Pts)/Overall
(13) Florida 6-1-1 (19)/12-2-2
(14) South Carolina 6-1-1 (19)/12-3-2
(21) Georgia 4-1-3 (15)/9-3-4
Tennessee 4-3-1 (13)/7-8-1
Vanderbilt 3-3-2 (11)/7-7-2
Kentucky 2-4-2 (8)/8-6-2
WESTERN DIVISIONSEC/Overall
Louisiana State 3-2-3 (12)/6-6-4
Alabama 3-3-2 (11)/8-5-2
Auburn 3-3-2 (11)/9-5-2
Arkansas 2-4-2 (8)/5-8-3
Mississippi 1-4-3 (6)/5-8-4
Mississippi State 0-8-0 (0)/7-10-0
RESULTS
Sunday, Oct. 17
Florida 2, Georgia 1 (OT)
Auburn 1, Kentucky 1 (2 OT)
Vanderbilt 2, Alabama 0
Louisiana State 6, Mississippi State 2
Arkansas 4, Mississippi 4 (OT)
South Carolina 2, Tennessee 1
Friday / Oct. 15
Florida 4, Tennessee 2
Kentucky 3, Alabama 1
Auburn 1, Vanderbilt 1 (2 OT)
Georgia 1, South Carolina 0
Louisiana State 0, Mississippi 0 (2 OT)
Arkansas 4, Mississippi State 0
SCHEDULE
Thursday / Oct. 21
Florida at Louisiana State, 8 p.m.
Georgia at Alabama, 8 p.m.
South Carolina at Arkansas, 8 p.m.
Tennessee at Auburn, 8 p.m.
Vanderbilt at Mississippi State, 8 p.m.
Kentucky at Mississippi, 8 p.m.
Sunday / Oct. 24
Arkansas at Florida, 1:30 p.m.
Louisiana State at South Carolina, 1 p.m. (ESPNU)
Auburn at Georgia, 1 p.m. (FSN)
Alabama at Tennessee, 2 p.m. (CSS)
Mississippi State at Kentucky, 2:30 p.m.
Mississippi at Vanderbilt, 3 p.m.
Friday / Oct. 29
Florida at South Carolina, 7 p.m.
Vanderbilt at Kentucky, 7 p.m. (FSN)
Georgia at Tennessee, 7 p.m.
Arkansas at Louisiana State, 8 p.m.
Mississippi at Mississippi State, 8 p.m.
Alabama at Auburn, 8 p.m.
For the latest National Soccer Coaches Association of America Division I poll, click below:
http://www.ncaa.com/sports/w-soccer/division_i1.html
For the latest 2010 RPI rankings, click below:
http://web1.ncaa.org/app_data/weeklyrpi/2010WSOrpi1.html