If what happened at the Turner Soccer Complex on Thursday night is a sign of things to come this weekend, there are going to be a lot of very happy Georgia fans.
The Georgia and Florida soccer teams played on Thursday night and it was the Bulldogs who came away with a thrilling 1-0 victory over the Gators. It was the first win over Florida since 2008, snapping a 12-game losing streak against the Gators.
The Bulldogs and Gators were deadlocked for much of the contest, and the game looked to be headed to overtime tied 0-0. But with just 90 seconds remaining, freshman Haley Sorrell was able to put Georgia ahead thanks to an assist from sophomore Abby Boyan.
Sorrell’s goal proved to be the difference and enough to give Georgia just its third all-time win over the Gators.
“This was probably one of the most rewarding moments since our team has worked so hard this year,” Sorrell said. “I think we deserved that win. I could not have done this without my team. It was a team effort.”
The win over Florida punched Georgia’s ticket to the SEC Tournament. The Bulldogs earned the No. 6 seed in the SEC Tournament and will take on South Carolina in quarterfinals of the tournament.
“It’s a signature win for us,” head coach Billy Lesesne said. “I’ve said it all season that this is a group of fighters. I think they showed that again tonight. They just never give up and never quit. They have a great camaraderie with each other, and I think it shows on the field. They can never be counted out of any game because they just battle and they fight, and that’s what I was so proud of tonight. The effort to succeed and desire to win has been very evident this year.”
The Bulldogs and Gamecocks did meet in the regular season, with South Carolina winning 3-0 at home.
Georgia’s game against South Carolina will take place on Nov. 5 at 3:30 p.m. ET and air on the SEC Network. The tournament will be held in Orange Beach, Ala., and run from Sunday, Nov. 3 through the championship game on Nov. 10.
