GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The 20th-ranked LSU soccer team saw its four-game unbeaten streak snapped on Sunday afternoon after going on the road and falling to the 22nd-ranked Florida Gators by the score of 5-0 at James G. Presly Stadium.
The Tigers (10-3-6, 4-2-4 SEC) also saw its five-game unbeaten streak against ranked opponents come to an end as the Gators (11-4-2, 7-2-0 SEC) extend their winning streak in league play to seven games and improve to 8-0-2 in the all-time series.
“Sometimes the score doesn’t reflect how a game actually unfolded, and today was one of those games. It could have easily finished 8-0,” said LSU head coach Brian Lee. “Florida came out with tremendous intensity from the opening kickoff and was very good this afternoon. We’ve got a lot of work to do this week before facing Arkansas on Friday.”
The Gators dominated play on the offensive end of the field throughout the match as they outshot the Tigers by a 17-5 count with an 11-3 advantage in shots on goal and a 6-3 edge in corner kicks.
Midfielder KeLeigh Hudson led the Gator attack by recording her first collegiate hat trick on the afternoon with goals in the fifth, 63rd, and 65th minutes of the contest.
The native of Marietta, Ga., gave Florida an early lead with her fifth goal of the season at the 4:18 mark of the first half as she buried a shot inside the left post from six yards out in the middle of the penalty area. Ameera Abdullah and Stacy Bishop assisted on the goal.
Hudson added her sixth and seventh goals of the season less than two minutes apart in the second half. She chipped a ball into the back of the net from five yards out following a centering pass from Shana Hudson at the 62:39 mark and rifled a shot inside the far post from 12 yards out in the left side of the area at the 64:11 mark of the match.
Ashlee Elliott scored Florida’s second goal of the match at the 22:54 mark of the first half, while Daniela Sanchez added the final margin with her first goal of the season in the 73rd minute.
“We’ve got a lot of work to do before stepping on the field next weekend against Arkansas,” Lee said. “It’s important that we refocus and get ready to play in our last game of the regular season on Friday night. This week will be a great test of our character as a team.”
The Tigers wrap up the regular season with a trip to Fayetteville, Ark., next weekend to take on the Arkansas Lady Razorbacks on Friday night in a match scheduled for a 7 p.m. kickoff at Lady ?Back Field. The 2007 SEC Tournament will run from Nov. 7-11 at the Orange Beach SportsPlex in Orange Beach, Ala.