The No. 9 University of Florida soccer team (3-2, 0-0 SEC) lost 1-0 to Illinois (3-2, 0-0 Big Ten) Friday afternoon in front of an Illinois Track and Soccer Stadium crowd of 1,264.

The two teams have met only twice in the 13-year history of the Florida program, with Illinois taking both wins by a 1-0 score. In the first meeting, Illinois eliminated UF from the 2005 NCAA First Round with a 1-0 2OT score.

Ella Masar scored the only goal of the match at 83:04. She pounced on an under hit ball in the Florida box and headed to the goal, taking advantage of a 1v1 situation with UF goalkeeper Katie Fraine to score from eight-yards. Fraine, who turned in a career-high six saves Friday, hesitated on her line just a fraction too long, and Masar was able to capitalize with the far post goal.

“I thought Katie played an outstanding game all night,” UF Head Coach Becky Burleigh said. “It is just unfortunate that the one mistake she made lead to a goal.”

Florida could only manage two shots in the opening half, neither particularly dangerous. But the Illini tested Fraine several times, as she turned in four saves in the opening 45 minutes. In the 27^th minute, Fraine made a save on Kara Gostisha header’s off the UI corner kick. Fraine lost hold of the ball, but was able to quickly gather it in to stop the Illinois offensive threat.

Sophomore Ashlee Elliott helped to keep the Illini off the scoreboard in the opening half when from the goal line, headed out Gostisha’s header in the 22^nd minute, aiding Fraine who was out of goal. The Gators’ best scoring chance in the opening half came in the 13^th minute. The Gators were awarded a corner kick and Tricia Townsend sent in a ball that forced Illinois goalkeeper Lindsey Carstens to punch it out to end the Florida scoring attempt.

Florida was more dangerous with its offensive threats in the second half. A good buildup began in the 68^th minute started with Stacy Bishop playing the ball through two Illini defenders near the midfield touch line. She sent a weighted ball ahead into the left side of the box where Ashley Harris was able to run onto it and send it to the middle for Megan Kerns at the top of the box. Kerns placed the ball back to Bishop, who now was in the circle at the top of the box. She took the shot that sailed just above the cross bar.

It was a frustrating night for the Gators, as they were out shot 14-5 and had trouble connecting passes.

“I don’t think we deserved to win this game,” Burleigh said. “We got out-played. Part of that was not winning 50-50 balls and our inability to complete passes. If we don’t complete passes, we aren’t a good team. Tonight we weren’t very successful completing passes.”

Florida was without junior All-American Ameera Abdullah on Friday, as she suffered a left peroneal tendon strain in a collision last Friday with the USF goalkeeper.

Next up, the Gators head to Des Moines, Iowa, to face Drake on Sunday, Sept. 16. GatorVision subscribers can see the UF-Drake match when play begins at 2 p.m.