TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – No. 6 Florida State soccer (7-2-0, 1-0-0) began ACC play with a thrilling 5-4 win over Boston College (7-1-1, 0-1-0).
“In the end, it proved that we are reasonably resilient,” FSU head coach Mark Krikorian said. “Our kids fought hard and found a way to come away with a win. Credit to Boston College. They took advantage of mistakes that we made and generated enough attack to score four goals. Coming in here and scoring four goals against us is pretty good.”
The Seminoles were highlighted by Jenna Nighswonger and Deyna Castellanos on the attack. Nighswonger came away with two goals for her second multi-goal game of the season, while Castellanos earned three assists to tie a school record.
“She has so many wonderful, special qualities,” said Krikorian on Castellanos. “Every time she’s on the ball, something exciting could happen. She could score a fantastic goal, a simple goal or she could create for one of her teammates like she did tonight.”
Boston College struck first in the 11th with a goal by Sam Smith coming off of a corner kick. That came after the Seminoles were being outshot 3-1 early in the game.
FSU came back firing taking eight straight shots before Castellanos fired a long ball down the center to Kristen McFarland for the first goal of the game for the Seminoles in the 27th minute. It was McFarland’s third of the season.
The Seminoles then took their first lead of the match in the 38th minute on Makala Thomas’s first goal of her career, coming off assists from Gabby Carle and Leilanni Nesbeth.
Two minutes later the BC tied it back up with a goal by Gianna Mitchell coming off of another corner kick.
Coming out of the half the Noles hit the back of the net again in the 54th minute on Nighswongers first of two goals. Once again Boston College countered with Sam Smith’s second goal of the game in the 62nd minute.
In the 68th minute, Gabby Carle scored her first goal of the season and third of her career coming off of Castellanos second assist of the game to make it 4-3. Two minutes later Nighswonger extended the lead with her second goal of the game to tie the team-high with five goals this season.
BC clawed back with a goal in the 86th minute to make it 5-4 but couldn’t get the equalizer as the Noles went on to win their ACC opener.
Florida State heads on the road next weekend to take on Clemson on Thursday, September 26 and Syracuse on Sunday, September 29.
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Notes:
- Deyna Castellanos is currently in third at Florida State with 41 career goals.
- With three assists in one game, Castellanos tied a school record
- Caroline Jeffers is in a tie for ninth at Florida State with eight career shutouts
- Florida State is 128-56-11 all-time in the month of September, 84-20-8 under head coach Mark Krikorian.
- The Seminoles have had three student-athletes record multi-goal games this season and have had four games with an athlete score multiple goals (Jenna Nighswonger vs. Colorado; Jaelin Howell vs. Samford; Yujie Zhao vs. Villanova, Nighswonger vs. Boston College).
- With five goals in two straight games, it is the first time since 2009 that the Seminoles have scored five or more goals in consecutive games.
