{"id":139048,"date":"2025-09-12T17:12:08","date_gmt":"2025-09-12T17:12:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/139048\/"},"modified":"2025-09-12T17:12:08","modified_gmt":"2025-09-12T17:12:08","slug":"razorbacks-cut-short-gators-soccers-comeback-attempt-wruf-98-1-fm-850-am","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/139048\/","title":{"rendered":"Razorbacks Cut Short Gators Soccer’s Comeback Attempt – WRUF 98.1 FM | 850 AM"},"content":{"rendered":"

Florida soccer experienced their first taste of SEC play this season, battling against a physical Arkansas Razorbacks<\/a> team at Dizney Stadium.<\/p>\n

The No. 9 Razorbacks showed why they are one of the top teams in the nation and the SEC preseason favorites by taking a 3-2 win against the Gators (0-1 SEC, 4-4).\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"Florida midfielder Madison Jones (10) watches the ball Thursday against Arkansas at Dizney Stadium. [Matthew Lewis\/WRUF]<\/p>\n

Just four minutes into the game Thursday freshmen Nuria Craig lofted the ball over Florida\u2019s Paloma Pena to put the Razorbacks up 1-0.\u00a0<\/p>\n

After going ahead, the Razorbacks (1-0, 3-2-2) kept the pressure on the young Gator team.\u00a0<\/p>\n

However, Florida was not the only team on the field with freshmen talent.\u00a0<\/p>\n

At the 35th-minute mark of the contest, Arkansas\u2019 freshmen forward Vailana Tu\u2019ua struck the ball across her body and tucked it home into the bottom right corner.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Less than a minute later, Florida fans experienced deja vu.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Tu\u2019ua then struck the ball with her left foot and tucked it away into the bottom right corner for her second goal of the game.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI think we made some bad decisions individually and that cost us,\u201d Florida coach Samantha Bohon said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Florida went into intermission down 3-0 after being outclassed for a half.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think I can share too much of it,\u201d Bohon said of her halftime speech.<\/p>\n

However, the inexperienced Gators seemed to catch up to the pace of the SEC in the second half.<\/p>\n

Two minutes from the restart, freshman Kai Tsakiris<\/a> drove into the box and was taken down from behind.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Stepping up to finish what she started, Tsakiris put the ball in the bottom corner and just out of the reach of Arkansas keeper Keegan Smith.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Gators kept pushing and were able to win a corner in the 68th minute when the ball struck Arkansas senior Makenzie Malham\u2019s arm. Referee Mario Macic went to video assisted replay to confirm the decision.\u00a0<\/p>\n

After confirmation of the penalty, Madison Jones tucked the ball into the bottom right corner to pull the Gators to within one.\u00a0<\/p>\n

With just over a minute to go, redshirt freshmen Addy Hess was played in through on-goal and had the chance to tie the game. But Smith came up with her biggest save of the game to keep the door shut.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI believe in this group, I think they can do some really special things this year,\u201d\u00a0 Bohon said in staying positive.<\/p>\n

The Gators\u2019 next three games come against ranked opponents (No. 20 Oklahoma, No. 17 South Carolina and No. 24 Georgia.)\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI think this group is going to learn from this and we\u2019ll get better for Oklahoma,\u201d Bohon said.<\/p>\n

The Gators travel to take on the Sooners next Thursday, with kickoff set for 7 p.m. (SEC Network).<\/p>\n

Gators Soccer Head Coach Samantha Bohon after Florida\u2019s 3-2 loss to Arkansas Thursday night.<\/p>\n

Read a full recap of the match on https:\/\/t.co\/kXtfdgVHHa<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/4Ez6hvLeeN<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 David (@davidaalopezz) September 12, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

Category: Gator Sports<\/a>, Gators Soccer<\/a>, SEC<\/a> <\/p>\n