Gators Battle to scoreless Draw Against no. 4 Tennessee, Peña Shines with Career-High Saves
Teh University of Florida soccer team secured a hard-fought 0-0 draw against No. 4 Tennessee on Thursday night, October 17, 2025, in front of 2,884 fans at Regal Soccer Stadium. The result marks a significant achievement for the Gators, halting Tennessee’s perfect home record and showcasing their resilience against a top-tier opponent.
This contest represented Florida’s second consecutive match against a top-12 team, following a 2-1 victory over then-No. 12 Mississippi State the previous Friday. The Gators are proving their ability to compete with the nation’s elite programs.
The tie at Tennessee echoes Florida’s past successes against highly ranked opponents, recalling a 2-2 result against No. 3 Stanford in the 2014 NCAA quarterfinals – the last time the program secured a road tie against a top-five team.
Thursday’s match ended Tennessee’s previously unblemished home winning streak. The Lady Vols entered the game with a 6-0 record at Regal Soccer Stadium in 2025, including a season-opening win against the defending NCAA champion, North Carolina.
Head Coach samantha Bohon lauded her team’s performance, emphasizing their unity and determination in the face of challenges. “We knew this would be a tall task – going on the road against a talented Tennessee team,” Bohon stated. “Once again,this group showed amazing fight and togetherness for the full 90 minutes. With several players unavailable, others stepped up in a big way. It speaks volumes about the heart and depth of this team. They’re playing with grit and joy – and that’s a pretty special combination.”
Peña’s Stellar Performance Anchors Florida Defense
A key factor in the scoreless draw was the outstanding performance of sophomore goalkeeper Paloma Peña, who recorded a career-high 11 saves. This performance builds on her previous career best of six saves in a scoreless tie against then-No. 15 South Carolina. Peña’s 11 saves now share the No.3 all-time spot in program history with Jordan Kellgren, who also achieved 11 saves in a 2000 match versus BYU.
“Paloma had a special performance and the players in front of her did a great job of clearing out dangerous opportunities on their end,” Bohon added, highlighting the collective effort. “She was fantastic tonight, making save after save to keep us in the game.”
The Gators (6-5-4, 2-2-4 SEC) will face Mississippi (4-7-2, 0-6-2 SEC) at the Donald R. Dizney Stadium.
The weather forecast for Thursday’s match at Regal Soccer Stadium was 70 degrees, clear, with wind from the NNE at 4 mph.
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Goals by Period
| 1 | 2 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Florida | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tennessee | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Scoring Summary:
None
Shots: UF 7, UT 24
Saves: Florida 11 (Paloma Peña 11), UT 2 (Cayden Norris 2)
Offsides: UF 0, UT 4
Cautions: Ally Brown-UT (81:57) – yellow.
