GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Despite senior forward Kate Ripple scoring her team-leading seventh goal of the season in the second minute of the second half, the LSU soccer team dropped its fourth-consecutive match in the Southeastern Conference on Friday as it fell to the 19th-ranked Florida Gators, 2-1, at James G. Pressly Stadium.
The Tigers (6-8-2, 2-6-1 SEC) fall to 0-7-1 all-time against the Gators (11-4-1, 6-2-1 SEC), including a current two-game losing skid to its rival from the SEC Eastern Division.
“I thought we played great tonight against a really good team,” said LSU head coach Brian Lee. “To come out so strong in the second half and tie the game, I was really proud of the kids. They really fought hard, and it was an even enough game to go either way in the end. Florida is a legit top-20 team, and they were able to pull it out.”
Midfielder KeLeigh Hudson scored the game-winning goal for the Gators unassisted in the 81st minute of the second half as she ripped a shot inside the right post on a rebound from 10 yards out. Hudson is now tied for the Florida team lead with five goals and leads the team with three game-winning goals on the season.
“They popped out on a loose ball and buried it for a goal,” Lee said. “We had a triple team down in the corner that they got out of before they served a cross. The ball got knocked back to their player at the top of the box and she put it in. She took it very well and really buried it.”
The Gators took a 1-0 lead in the 27th minute of the first half when midfielder Rie Sawai served a ball behind the LSU defense and midfielder Megan Kerns dribbled past a charging Jackie Moseley and ripped a shot into an empty net from 15 yards out for her third goal of the season.
The Tigers were unable to get on the board before the break as they attempted just two shots in the opening half with none being on goal. Moseley rebounded to save four shots in a busy first half as Florida attempted seven shots with five shots on goal and one corner kick.
“They caught us on a break away for their goal in the first half, but I really think we had better possession of the ball in the half,” Lee said. “We would have liked to have more scoring opportunities to go along with our possessions, but we really played well in the half.”
LSU wasted no time in tying the match out of the locker room as Ripple banged in a shot from point-blank range just 1:17 into the second half. Freshman midfielder Melissa Clarke was credited with her second assist on the season as she shredded the Florida defense and served a pass to Ripple from 15 yards out in front of the net.
“That was a world-class effort on both of their part,” Lee said. “Melissa drew in three defenders and passed it off at the last minute for an easy goal. Kate stayed composed and finished it nicely. Melissa, she’s dynamic. She’s one of the best freshmen in the country, and that kind of play is what we expect from her.”
Florida more than doubled LSU’s shot total in the match as the Gators attempted 15 shots to just seven for the Tigers, including nine shots on goal to four. The Gators also held the edge in corner kicks as they attempted nine in the match to three for LSU.
The Tigers return to Baton Rouge and the LSU Soccer Complex for Senior Day festivities in their final home match of the season against the South Carolina Gamecocks on Sunday at 1 p.m.
“It’s a big game in terms of the SEC Tournament,” Lee said. “We need one win, maybe two in these last two games to secure a bid. We’re playing great, and we certainly have a chance to accomplish a lot of good things before the end of the season.”