A goal from Ameera Abdullah in each half gave the No. 16 University of Florida soccer team (14-5-4, 7-1-3 SEC) a 2-0 win over Loyola University Chicago (14-7-3, 5-5-1 Horizon League) in NCAA Championship opening round action at the Marquette University Valley Fields. Florida now advances to the NCAA Second Round and faces Marquette on Sunday, Nov. 12 at 4 p.m. (ET).

The match was originally scheduled to be played Friday evening, but inclement weather conditions postponed both NCAA First Round matches to Saturday. Marquette defeated Purdue 1-0 in Saturday’s second first round match. Sunday’s second round match was moved to a 4 p.m. (ET) start time to allow more recovery time for Saturday’s winners. The rain and sleet of yesterday evening were replaced Saturday by overcast skies and temperatures in the high 30s.

This is the sixth NCAA opening round match win for the Gators in the program’s 10 NCAA appearances. Florida was eliminated in the opening round the last two years.

“I think it was a good win for us,” UF Head Coach Becky Burleigh said. “To win in the first round of the NCAA Tournament is something that we haven’t done in the last couple of years, so to get the win kind of gets the monkey off our back.”

“The cold weather has not been a factor; we were more concerned about the conditions of the field. That was the issue last night,” she continued. “I don’t think the weather really bothers us that much.”

The first goal of the match came in the 22^nd minute. From the top of the box, KeLeigh Hudson touched the ball out to find Abdullah streaking through the box. Abdullah one-touched the ball from 10-yards into the far post upper corner.

“I saw KeLeigh face up to the goal and I just ran across my defender,” Abdullah said. “She placed it perfectly and I just kind of hit it with the outside of my foot.”

Her next goal came after just over two minutes were played in the second half. She and junior Daniela Sanchez were both at the top of the box. Sanchez used a pigeon-toe pass to give Abdullah the ball, who scored on the 16-yard shot to the near post.

“I was standing next to Daniela and I told her to rip her shot. She took kind of an off-balance touch so she just passed it off to me,” Abdullah said. “I looked up and the near post was there so I just hit it.”

Abdullah now shares the Gator goals lead with Stacy Bishop as each have 11 goals this season.

Florida advances to Sunday’s NCAA Second Round to face Marquette (12-6-4). Sunday’s match can be heard live on WRUF-FM and www.GatorZone.com.