TOWSON, Md. – The Towson University women's soccer team will travel to Gainesville on Thursday night, Aug. 21 to take on the University of Florida for the second consecutive season. The teams played to a 1-1 tie last September. The Gators (0-1) dropped a 5-0 decision to No. 3 Florida State last Thursday. The game begins at 7 p.m. and will air on SEC Network +.

When: Thursday, August 21
Where: Donald Dizney Stadium | Gainesville, Florida
Time: 7 p.m.
Stream: SEC Network +
Team Records: Towson (1-0-0) vs. Florida (0-1-0)
 
Towson opened the 2025 season with a 5-0 victory over Mount St. Mary's Sunday night at Tiger Field. Redshirt sophomore Payton Todd, who appeared in one game during her first two years at Towson, scored twice to lead the way, while freshman Riley Matthews added a goal and two assists. Nine Tigers had at least one point. Redshirt sophomore Teagan Gardner in her first career start pitched a shutout – making two saves.
 
Matthews, a freshman from Salisbury, Md., who produced three points in 44 minutes off the bench, was named the Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) Rookie of the Week on Monday.

2025 OUTLOOK
While head coach Katherine Vettori will have to replace all-league performers Riley Melendez, Maja Hansson and Demi Pierre, six starters return from the 2024 squad that went undefeated during the month of October – finishing that stretch with four wins and three ties, including three of the top four point producers: Sophie Thibeault (7 goals, 2 assists), Malin Bernt Schöps (4g, 1a) and Kale'a Perry (2g, 3a). Three other starters, midfielder Emma Levin and defenders Brooke Birrell and Sydney Lindeman, also return.
Towson was picked to finish fourth in the 2025 Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) North Division in the preseason coaches' poll – behind Stony Brook, Monmouth and Hofstra and ahead of Northeastern and Drexel. Starting this season, CAA women's soccer has been separated into two divisions, North and South. Each team will play all teams in its division plus four matches against the other division. The top three teams in each division will qualify for the 2025 CAA Championship.

FRESH FACES
Towson welcomed nine new players this season, five freshman and four transfers: defenders Gracen Houck, (Morehead State) and Emma Kirkpatrick (Rhode Island), forward Luisa Navas Gonzalez (Mount St. Mary's) and midfielder Emely Rubio (Campbell). The four bring 181 games of collegiate experience from their previous institutions. Rubio and Houck spent the 2025 spring semester with Towson.

SCOUTING FLORIDA
Florida finished the 2024 season with a 4-8-6 record, including 1-7-2 mark in the Southeastern Conference (SEC). Ten Gators are among the 99 players on the 2025 SEC Preseason Watchlist, including freshman Kai Tsakiris, Katie Johnston, Sophia Sindelar and Addy Hess.

NEXT UP
The Tigers welcome former CAA rival Delaware to Tiger Field on Thursday, August 28. The teams have played ties each of the last three seasons. The match will be streamed on FloCollege, beginning at 6 p.m.