COLLEGE STATION, Texas — The Texas A&M Aggies play a road match against the Florida Gators needing a positive result along with some help to earn a spot at the SEC Tournament. Match time at Dizney Stadium is 5 p.m.
With a victory against Florida, Texas A&M would still need either Ole Miss or Missouri to lose or tie their finale for the Aggies to make the SEC Tournament field. With a draw, Texas A&M requires a more complex formula of results to make the tournament.
Texas A&M (8-5-5, 2-4-3 SEC) is undefeated in October. The Aggies have wins over Rice (1-0), Ole Miss (2-1) and Auburn (3-1) and draws against LSU (2-2), South Carolina (1-1) and Missouri (1-1).
Sophomore forward Maile Hayes has caught fire in October. The Aggies’ spark plug has tallied 12 points in the last five matches with five goals and two assists. In each of A&M’s last two wins, the Spring, Texas native has scored the winning goal after the 85th minute. Her haul in the last three matches includes a goal and an assist in the Aggies’ 2-2 tie against LSU, game-winning goal with 3:20 remaining at Ole Miss and the tying and go-ahead goals and a last-minute assist in the second half versus Auburn. Hayes scored the goal in A&M’s 1-1 draw against Missouri. Her exploits have made her the first Aggie to ever earn league offensive player of the week recognition in consecutive weeks.
The Aggies and Gators have met 17 times on the soccer pitch with the Maroon & White owning a 9-8 edge in the series. Along with a close margin in the series, each match has been tightly contested with 14 of the 17 games decided by one goal, including 10 final scores of 2-1. Six matches occurred before the Aggies joined the SEC with Texas A&M owning a 4-2 edge. Florida is 6-5 in games played as league foes.
The Maroon & White won the most recent contest, the 2020 home opener, 2-1, with first half goals from Barbara Olivieri and Jimena Lopez.
