GAINESVILLE, Fla. - Florida soccer earned a gritty 1-0 win over Auburn Thursday evening at the Donald R. Dizney Stadium. The win is notable as Florida is the league's first program to earn 200 Southeastern Conference wins.

Both teams came into the match looking for the win to move up the ladder toward the 10-team field for the 2023 SEC Tournament in Pensacola, Fla. With the win, Florida is now among a three-way tie for 11th .

This Evening's Scoring:

With just seconds remaining in the opening half, Lena Bailey's fourth goal of the season sent the Gators into halftime with a 1-0 advantage and proved to be the game-winner. The Gators were awarded a free kick midway inside the Tiger half. The ball sent in by Daviana Vaka to the six-yard box was challenged by several before Bailey was able to poke it across the line.

The second half had chances for both teams. The Gators backline held steady, with goalkeeper Alexa Goldberg flying high to make a key save on Carly Thatcher's shot from distance that was heading to the upper far post corner. The final result extends Goldberg's career season-high solo shutout total to seven for 2023.

SEC Wins Leader

With tonight's win, Florida became the first with 200 Southeastern Conference wins. 

Bailey's Goal No. T7 For Latest Score in First Half

Eleven seconds remaining equals the seventh latest opening half goal in the Gators' 29 seasons. It is the latest since Savannah Jordan scored with just one second remaining versus Florida Atlantic in 2016.

Hear from the Gators:

On tonight's win:

"Any win is big in the SEC, especially this year. The parody is pretty significant in the SEC so it's great getting those three extra points going into the last week. We really do take it one game at a time. We don't look too far in advance of what this means. We just feel like we need to put our head down, do our work and then the rest kind of falls where it may." - Florida Head Coach Samantha Bohon

On her goal:

Well, I kind of blacked out but one of my teammates hit it out while the goalie was trying to get it. I just kicked it and megged someone. That's all I can remember." - freshman Lena Bailey

On her thoughts leading up to her first Gator assist:

"I wasn't aware of the time until I heard the crowd. So I checked the time and see there's like 20 seconds left. So I thought 'I gotta do this and make it really on point.' I usually kick it back post or a little in front of the six but I just kept it straight towards the keeper, hoping that it would bounce around. It did bounce around and we scored off it." - senior Daviana Vaka

Records:

Florida: 6-5-4, 2-4-2 SEC

AU: 6-6-4, 2-4-2 SEC

Series Record:

Florida leads 19-10-2

Next Up:

Florida closes regular-season road action in Music City, U.S.A. Vanderbilt and Mississippi State tied 0-0 Thursday evening in Starkville, Miss.

Vanderbilt (8-4-4, 3-4-1 SEC)

Date: Sunday, Oct. 22

Time: 2 p.m. ET

Site: Vanderbilt Soccer Complex

SEC Network +: SEC Network +

Live Results: StatBroadcast

Admission: Free

Auburn (6-6-4, 2-4-2 SEC) at Florida (6-5-4, 2-4-2 SEC)

Stadium: Donald R. Dizney Stadium (661)

Weather: 76 degrees, winds NW at 3 mph