TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Top-seeded Florida State (22-1-3) broke open a one-goal first half lead scoring three times in the second half to defeat Boston College (13-10-1) 4-0 Friday afternoon in the Elite Eight of the NCAA Women’s Soccer Championship inside the Seminole Soccer Complex.
With the win, the Seminoles advance to their third straight College Cup and seventh all-time. Florida State will now face Virginia Tech in the national semifinals on Friday, December 6 at WakeMed Park in Cary, N.C. The Hokies defeated Duke 3-0 on Friday in Blacksburg. It will mark the third meeting between the two schools this year as the Seminoles have won both contests including a 1-0 victory in the ACC championship game back on November 10 in Cary.
In Friday’s quarterfinal, Marta Bakowska-Mathews had a career afternoon as she led all players with five points on two goals and an assist. The junior midfielder assisted on the game’s first goal in the first half before scoring the third and fourth goals of the match to seal the victory. It marked Bakowska-Mathews’ second two-goal effort of the season with her first coming against Notre Dame in the regular season finale back on October 31.
The Seminoles put forth a tremendous defensive effort on Friday holding the Eagles to just four shots including two on goal. Boston College entered the NCAA Quarterfinals outscoring the opposition 10-2 through the first three rounds.
FSU’s backline of Kassey Kallman, Kristin Grubka, Isabella Schmid, Megan Campbell and Kirsten Crowley held BC’s forward trio of McKenzie Meehan, Hayley Dowd and Stephanie McCaffrey to just one shot. And that lone shot didn’t come until the 88th minute when McCaffrey’s shot from just outside the 18-yard box was blocked.
Kelsey Wys made both saves, one in each half, in 90 minutes of play as the senior goalkeeper collected her 15th shutout of the season.
The win put the finishing touches on another unbeaten home record as the Seminoles finished 2013 16-0-1 inside the friendly confines of the Seminole Soccer Complex. It marked the second straight year that FSU has not lost a match at home pushing its home unbeaten streak to 35 games (34-0-1) – the longest active streak in the nation.
Kallman broke the scoreless tie in the 36th minute finishing the play with a header inside the left post from about six yards out for her second goal of the season. The scoring play began when Campbell sent a cross inside the box to the head of Bakowska-Mathews, who flicked the ball toward the goal. Kallman won possession of the free ball finishing the play with a header for her second goal of the postseason. The goal also gave the Seminoles a 1-0 advantage into the locker room.
In the second half, the Seminoles broke the match open with three goals as the first came off the foot of Michaela Hahn. Hahn took a pass from Nickolette Driesse and drilled a shot into the upper left corner from about 20 yards out for her third goal of the season.
Bakowska-Mathews gave Florida State a 3-0 lead finishing a low-lining cross from the right side by Dagny Brynjarsdottir in the 70th minute. BC keeper Alex Johnson had come out to defend the ball from Brynjarsdottir leaving the left side of the goal wide open for Bakowska-Mathews. Driesse found Brynjarsdottir open down on the right side to earn her second assist of the game and first career multi-assist game.
Less than two minutes later, the Seminoles added their fourth goal of the afternoon on a penalty kick conversion by Bakowska-Mathews. Brynjarsdottir was fouled from behind inside the 18-yard box leading to the goal by the English native.
Brynjarsdottir led all players with four shots in the match, while Bakowska-Mathews and Carson Pickett both finished with three.
Florida State’s seventh trip to the College Cup is tied for the sixth most appearances in NCAA history. The Seminoles become just the third school to make three consecutive appearances in the national semifinals on two separate occasions.
Stay tuned to Seminoles.com for further updates on the Florida State soccer team’s run in the 2013 NCAA Women’s College Cup.
As always Seminole fans can follow the Noles on twitter @FSU_Soccer and remember to like the Seminoles on Facebook (www.facebook.com/FSUSoccer) and Instagram (NoleSoccer).
