COLUMBIA, S.C. – A free-kick goal with seconds remaining in the opening half was all the No. 8 Florida soccer team needed to claim its 11th Southeastern Conference title and fifth in a row. Florida took a 1-0 win from No. 17 South Carolina Friday evening at Eugene E. Stone III Stadium.
Just before halftime, Florida (15-2-2, 9-1-1 SEC) was awarded a free kick with 10 seconds remaining, but the referee stopped the clock with five second showing to allow the teams to set up.
Senior Nicky Kit took the shot from 20 yards. It hit the near post and kicked in with just two seconds showing on the scoreboard clock. The goal was Kit’s second on the year.
Before the kick, Kit had a feeling it was going to score.
“The clock was stopped so I told myself to take my time and I went through everything coach Vic (Campbell) taught me: to use my leg, don’t aim – just kick it because you know where you are going to kick it,” Kit said. “I knew I was going to score. There is this feeling of energy. It is like a clearing and everything goes quiet. That was literally what it was. It was very exciting. I was so happy to help my team.”
The Gators’ three seniors – Ashlee Elliott, Katie Fraine and Kit – were a part of a SEC championship team every year of their Florida careers. For Elliott and Fraine, the number is five SEC titles as Elliott redshirted the 2009 season and a broken finger sidelined Fraine for the 2006 campaign.
“I am really, really happy for the seniors,” Florida coach Becky Burleigh said. “Nicky scored the winning goal. Ashlee and Katie won their fifth SEC title, which is unprecedented. So it is just really exciting for our entire team.
“It was a hard-fought battle and we would have expected nothing less,” she continued. “We knew it wasn’t going to be easy going on the road in the SEC with two top teams playing against each other. We are really excited to have a SEC title in our hands.”
South Carolina (14-4-2, 8-2-1 SEC) managed just seven shots against Florida and goalie Katie Fraine made just one save for the shutout. The Gators were more on target, taking nine and putting six on goal, five of which Mollie Patton turned away.
The Gators head to the SEC Tournament which begins Wednesday, Nov. 3 in Orange Beach, Ala. Florida will open play at 6 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Nov. 3 versus Vanderbilt. The Gators have won eight SEC Tournament titles with the last coming in 2007.
SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE STANDINGS
EASTERN DIVISION SEC (Pts)/Overall
(12) Florida 9-1-1 (28)/15-2-2
(18) South Carolina 8-2-1 (25)/14-4-2
Tennessee 7-3-1 (22)/10-8-1
(25) Georgia 5-3-3 (18)/10-5-4
Kentucky 4-5-2 (14)/10-7-2
Vanderbilt 4-5-2 (14)/8-9-2
WESTERN DIVISION SEC/Overall
Auburn 5-4-2 (17)/11-6-2
Louisiana State 4-4-3 (15)/7-8-4
Mississippi 3-5-3 (12)/7-9-4
Alabama 3-6-2 (11)/8-8-2
Arkansas 2-7-2 (8)/5-11-3
Mississippi State 1-10-0 (3)/8-12-0
RESULTS
Friday / Oct. 29
Florida 1, South Carolina 0
Kentucky 6, Vanderbilt 1
Tennessee 2, Georgia 1
Louisiana State 1, Arkansas 0
Mississippi State 2, Mississippi 1
Auburn 2, Alabama 1
End of regular season
SEC WOMEN’S SOCCER TOURNAMENT
Orange Beach (Ala.) Sportsplex / Nov. 3-7, 2010
Final seedings
Rn/Team SEC record, Points, GD (GF-GA), GF
1. Florida 9-1-1, 28 points, +21 (27-6), 27
2. South Carolina 8-2-1, 25 points, +19 (26-7), 26
3. Tennessee 7-3-1, 22 points, +4 (15-11), 15
4. Georgia 5-3-3, 18 points, +6 (13-7), 13
5. Auburn 5-4-2, 17 points, +1 (16-15), 16
6. Louisiana State 4-4-3, 15 points, +2 (11-9), 11
7. Kentucky 4-5-2, 14 points, +2 (19-17), 19
8. Vanderbilt 4-5-2, 14 points, -4 (11-15), 11
(Out of tournament)
9. Mississippi 3-5-3, 12 points, -8 (13-21), 13
10. Alabama 3-6-2, 11 points, -5 (10-15), 10
11. Arkansas 2-7-2, 8 points, -3 (17-20), 17
12. Mississippi State 1-10-0, 3 points, -34 (7-41), 7
Wednesday / Nov. 3
Match 1: (7) Kentucky vs. (2) South Carolina, 1 p.m.
Match 2: (6) Louisiana State vs. (3) Tennessee, 3:30 p.m.
Match 3: (8) Vanderbilt vs. (1) Florida, 6 p.m.
Match 4: (5) Auburn vs. (4) Georgia, 8:30 p.m.
Friday / Nov. 5
Match 5: Match 1 winner vs. Match 2 winner, 6 p.m.
Match 6: Match 3 winner vs. Match 4 winner, 8:30 p.m.
Sunday / Nov. 7
Match 7: Match 5 winner vs. Match 6 winner, 3 p.m. (ESPNU) (Winner is SEC Tournament champion and NCAA Tournament automatic qualifier)
RANKINGS
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 Soccer America poll, click below:
http://www.socceramerica.com/article/40019/soccer-america-womens-top-25.html
For the latest Top Drawer poll, click below:
http://www.topdrawersoccer.com/college-soccer/college-soccer-tournament-ranking/women
For the latest Soccer Times poll, click below:
http://www.soccertimes.com/ncaa/top25/women.htm
For the latest 2010 RPI rankings, click below:
http://web1.ncaa.org/app_data/weeklyrpi/2010WSOrpi1.html