The No. 18 Florida soccer team (1-1-1) couldn’t overcome a first-half goal by Fresno State (3-0), falling to the visiting Bulldogs 1-0 Friday evening in front of a James G. Pressly Stadium crowd of 1,026.

The Bulldogs took the lead in the 16^th minute when an attempt to clear the ball out of the box deflected off of Gator freshman defender Lauren Hyde. Fresno State senior Kate Sobrero’s shot from 10-yards turned out to the only goal of the match.

One of the Gators’ best opportunities of the opening half came in the 23^rd minute when freshman Angela Napolitano brought the ball into the middle of the box, pulling the defenders toward her. She saw Ashley Harris making a run down the left side of the box, but Harris’ shot was just wide of the far post.

“Soccer’s a funny game. I think it’s one of those things where you can dominate a team and not score and it’s very frustrating. There’s not a better word for this game except for frustrating. We knew what their strategy was going to be coming in, especially once they scored the goal in the first half,” UF Head Coach Becky Burleigh said. “I think for us, the game was not won or lost in the second half, it was lost in the first half. When we came out without quite enough intensity and without quite enough fire in the first half that just allowed them to get a goal and once you’re down, in soccer anything can happen.”

The Gators owned a 7-4 edge in shots in the opening half, but despite a 10-0 shots advantage in the second half, none found the back of the net.

Fresno State senior goalkeeper Angie Larson, the reigning Western Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Week, recorded seven saves Friday evening. Several of the Gators’ best scoring opportunities were stopped by Larson. In the 68^th minute, junior Shana Hudson was fouled near the touch line. She took the free kick, but Hyde’s shot from the middle of the box was stopped Larson. Sophomore Megan Kern, appearing in her first match for the Gators this season, tried in tuck in a back heel shot in at the post, but Larson was there to make the save. Even the posts were making stops Friday, as Stacy Bishop’s shot in the 87^th minute hit the crossbar.

“In terms of creating goal-scoring chances, there were plenty, but it doesn’t really matter until the ball hits the back of the net. You have to give credit to Fresno State for taking everything we threw at them,” Burleigh said. “We were playing four forwards at the end of the game and we were putting balls in the box.  I think we have to be a little bit more patient and get the ball to the end line and serve it instead of serving early. But you have to give credit to Fresno State for being able to withstand that.”

Florida finishes its four-match home stand Sunday when Louisiana-Lafayette comes to town. Match time is set for 1:30 p.m. at the Pressly Stadium and admission is free. Sunday’s match can be heard live on WRUF-AM 850 and live, streaming video is available at www.gatorvision.tv. Bring the kids early to Sunday’s match to participate in the carnival that features an inflatable bouncer and football toss.