Florida Soccer to Meets Illinois State in NCAA First Round Action
in Columbus, Ohio
11/9/09
GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- The University of Florida soccer team (15-5-2,
8-1-2 SEC) travels to Columbus, Ohio, for NCAA Championship First Round
action. The Gators will face Illinois State in Friday’s opening round at
the Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium. The other first round pairing includes
Ohio State versus Oregon State. The winners of Friday’s matches will
meet Sunday in NCAA Second Round action. Start times are to be
announced.
The winner of Sunday's match advances to the NCAA Round of 16, which
will take place Nov. 20, 21 or 22. NCAA Quarterfinal action is the
following weekend (Nov. 27, 28 or 29). The NCAA College Cup is set for
Dec. 4 and 6 at the Aggie Soccer Stadium in College Station, Texas.
Friday's meeting will be the first between Florida and Illinois State.
Florida advanced to its 13th NCAA Championship by claiming one of the
tournament's 34 at-large berths. The Gators reached the Round of 16 in
2008 NCAA action, falling 2-1 to Texas A&M. The Gators are a No. 3 seed
for the tournament.
Florida is 5-4 against teams in the 2009 tournament field. The Gators
registered wins versus Auburn, Duke, Georgia and LSU. Florida split in
its two meetings with South Carolina and lost at Mississippi and to No.
2 seeds Florida State and UCLA. For the third consecutive season, the
SEC matched its record of six league teams receiving NCAA bids -
Florida, Auburn, Georgia, LSU, Mississippi and South Carolina.
About the opponents:
● Illinois State (12-6-1, 5-1 MVC) claimed the Missouri Valley
Conference’s automatic berth by defeating Creighton 1-0 in the MVC
tournament final in Omaha, Neb. This is ISU’s second NCAA appearance and
first since 2003.
● This is Ohio State’s (14-3-2, 7-2-1 Big 10) sixth NCAA
appearance. Ohio State took second in the Big Ten Conference.
● Oregon State (12-7-1, 4-5 Pac 10) is making its second NCAA
appearance and first since 1994. Oregon State finished tied for sixth in
the 2009 Pac-10 standings.
end of report
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