Women’s Soccer Loses To Florida, 3-1

Nov. 25, 2001

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Three goals from three different Gator players gave the No. 6 seeded University of Florida soccer team (20-3-1, 8-1 SEC) a 3-1 win over Clemson (15-5-1, 4-3 ACC) in NCAA Third Round action held Sunday in front of a Percy Beard Stadium crowd of 1,027. Florida now advances to the NCAA Quarterfinals for the third time in the program’s seven-year history. UF will meet No. 3 seeded UCLA (20-2) next weekend, with the date and site to be announced by the NCAA Soccer Committee later Sunday evening. UCLA defeated Dayton 3-1 Sunday afternoon in Los Angeles.

Senior Keisha Bell scored her first goal of the season to put the Gators up 1-0 in the first 10 minutes. The ball came into the box off a Casey Hamel corner kick and freshman Christine Johnson sent the ball left where Bell won the ball from a CU player. She chested the ball down, then hit a five-yard shot that hit the lower edge of the crossbar, then rebounded into the goal at 7:27. Florida’s second goal of the opening half started when Hamel sent the ball from the Florida half to Abby Wambach, who took the ball down the right side of the field deep into the CU box. Wambach passed the ball through two CU defenders to the top of the box, where Crystal Frimpong took a one-touch shot. The ball nipped the crossbar and fell into the goal at 25:00. It was the first goal for Frimpong since the season opener vs. Utah.

The Lady Tigers were without the services of one of its leading scorers, Lindsay Browne in the second half because of a knee injury.

Clemson’s Deliah Arrington narrowed the Gator lead to a single goal early in the second half when she took the ball from Kate Clifton to hit a 10-yard right shot at 48:12. Florida scored its final goal at 63:39 when Wambach took a shot and CU goalkeeper Katie Carson made the save, but the ball was still loose in the box. Sophomore Robin Fulton scored her second goal of the season when she put the ball in at the left post from three yards at 63:39.

“That was our back breaker,” said Clemson Head Coach Todd Bramble. “It seemed that we rattled their cage a little bit by making it a 2-1 game. I thought we were being dangerous and showing a lot more life in the second half by scoring a goal and creating a little havoc. We had the momentum at that point of the game when they scored their third goal.

“I just want to congratulate Florida,” continued Bramble. “They are a quality program and I wish them success in the tournament. Right now I am feeling a lot of pain, especially for our seniors who have all had great careers at Clemson. As times goes on, I think we will feel good about what we accomplished this season. But right now it hurts.”

Florida’s three goals were not from its usual scorers, but that wasn’t a surprise to UF Head Coach Becky Burleigh.

“This team is more then just a couple people, when you cover Abby (Wambach) and Andi (Sellers), other players will step up and make plays for us,” Burleigh said.

For the match, Florida outshot CU 13-10. UF goalkeeper Jordan Kellgren turned in five saves and CU’s Carson posted four saves.

Match: Clemson vs. FloridaCompetition: NCAA Division 1 Second RoundVenue: Percy Beard Stadium (1,027), Gainesville, Fla.

Scoring Summary: 1st 2nd Final Clemson 0 1 1 Florida 2 1 3

Scoring: UF – Keisha Bell (Christine Johnson) 7:27 UF – Crystal Frimpong (Abby Wambach, Casey Hamel) 25:00 CU – Deliah Arrington (Kate Clifton ) 48:12 UF – Robin Fulton (Crystal Frimpong, Abby Wambach) 63:39

Statistical Summary: CU UF Shots 10 13 Saves 4 5 Corner Kicks 4 3 Fouls 14 11 Offside 1 0