It took only three minutes in overtime for Florida State’s fourth-ranked soccer team to do what it couldn’t do in 90 minutes of regulation Friday night at James G. Pressley Stadium. Rachel Lim’s goal on after Florida goalkeeper Katie Fraine fell after a collision with one of her own players, gave the Seminoles a hard fought, 1-0, win over the seventh-ranked Gators before a crowd of 3,526.
The loss was a heartbreaker for the Gators, who played great defense but just couldn’t put the ball in the net.
“No one wants to lose — particularly against a rival and particularly at home,” Florida coach Becky Burleigh said. “But in terms of the way we played, we’re gonna be fine.”
It was the third loss of the season for the Gators, but Burleigh thought it was the Gators’ best game. A couple of weeks ago the Gators lost to highly ranked UCLA, 3-0, and this game was a 180-degree turnaround from that effort.
“When we played UCLA, we got our butts kicked,” Burleigh said. “They manhandled us. This week is totally different. We had our chances, and I thought we battled defensively. I think we did everything but finish. Even last year when we played FSU, we got away with that win.”
The only disappointment in the game for Burleigh was that final play when FSU scored the only goal of the game. FSU was awarded a deep throw-in and Burleigh had her team set in the proper defensive alignment but goalkeeper Katie Fraine came out of the six-yard box and collided with one of her own players.
While she was on the ground, Lim scored the goal.
“Obviously, it was a really disappointing way to lose,” Burleigh said. “We prepared for the long throw-in. That was probably the only disappointment of the whole game. Other than that, I thought it was a hell of a game — two good teams battling. I’m really proud of the way our team played.”
Fraine wasn’t beating herself up for the play, either. She plays aggressive in the goal and it usually pays off but this time there was a series of miscommunications and unfortunate errors.
“It was just one mistake after another after another,” Fraine said. “You hate to see it after we played so well. I really even feel like we outplayed them this year. But it was a really good game for us, and we can only see it as a positive.”
The defense was so tight for both teams that neither team had more than 10 shots in regulation. It only took one shot, however, to do the Gators in.
“I think that we came out and outplayed them,” Fraine said. “But in our sport, you can lose after outplaying the team. Sometimes you play better and the ball doesn’t go in the net. It’s unfortunate, but that’s the way it was tonight.”
Florida did have a few scoring opportunities in the game on corner kicks and set pieces near the goal, but each time, a pass or a shot seemed to be just slightly off target.
Forward Lindsay Thompson, who was the centerpiece of the offense, had several nice looks at the goal but wasn’t able to get any shots in.
“I was in the forward position for the majority of the game, and I had some chances, but it just didn’t go our way,” Thompson said. “I’m disappointed. I feel like I had three chances, and I feel like I should have scored. But the only is so big, and I’ve been playing long enough to know that it won’t always go your way.”
Still, she and the Gators felt that this was there best effort of the season. The Gators won’t have time to dwell on the loss. They play host to Eastern Kentucky Sunday. If they rebound the way they did after the loss to UCLA, the Gators should play very well.
“It’s definitely a unique situation,” Thompson said. “The last time we lost, we weren’t happy at all. It just depends on how you play. I feel like, as a team, we connected and we played more physically, and it showed. I think we’ll have more luck next time.”