The Florida Gators soccer team secured a significant 3-1 victory over reigning national champion Florida State on Sunday, August 23, 2026, at Donald R. Dizney Stadium in Gainesville. This win marks the first major statement for the Gators under new coach Nick Zimmerman, occurring in only his third match at the helm.
The Gators, now with a 2-1 record, broke an eight-match losing streak against the No. 3 Seminoles (3-1) and achieved their first win against Florida State since August 30, 2015. The two-goal margin of victory was also Florida’s largest against their rival since a 2-0 win on September 5, 2003.
This result also ended Florida State’s impressive 36-match unbeaten streak in regular-season nonconference play, a run that had extended since the middle of the 2019 season. Kyra Taylor was a key player for Florida, scoring two goals. Montelene Dymond added a third goal in the 79th minute, extending the lead to 3-0.
Florida’s aggressive approach began early, with Tatum Borman creating the first shot on goal in the sixth minute. Taylor then forced a save from Florida State goalkeeper Kate Ockene four minutes later. The Gators broke the deadlock in the 21st minute when freshman Mia Gray delivered a corner kick that Taylor headed into the net. This was Florida’s first goal against the Seminoles since a 5-2 loss on September 2, 2021.
Gators goalkeeper Jayden Emmanuel preserved the lead with a crucial reaction save less than two minutes after Taylor’s opening goal, denying Florida State’s Shaneil Buckley in a one-on-one situation. Florida led 1-0 at halftime, having outshot Florida State 7-4.
In the second half, Taylor scored her second goal in the 62nd minute, finishing with her left foot into the bottom-right corner after a pass from Zoe Main. This completed Taylor’s second consecutive brace, following two goals in Florida’s 3-2 win against Coastal Carolina on Thursday. Her four goals in three matches already match her total from 20 appearances for Mississippi State in 2025.
Florida sealed the match in the 78th minute with another counterattack, as Borman set up Dymond, who rounded the Seminoles goalkeeper for her first goal as a Gator. Freshman Ryder Ajeto scored for the Seminoles in the 83rd minute, but Florida maintained their lead until the end. The Gators finished with a 14-8 advantage in shots and an 8-5 edge in shots on goal, with Emmanuel making four saves in her first start of the season.
The match also set a new attendance record for Dizney Stadium soccer, with 1,632 spectators, surpassing the previous record of 1,412 set during Florida’s win against Texas on October 4, 2024. Florida is scheduled to return to Dizney Stadium on Thursday at 6 p.m. to play Jacksonville, with coverage available on SEC Network+ and ESPN 98.1-FM/850-AM WRUF.
