TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – No. 2 Florida State (5-0-1) closed out the non-conference portion of its schedule Sunday afternoon with a 1-0 victory over Oklahoma (2-4-0) in front of a crowd of 1,116 inside the Seminole Soccer Complex.
Dagny Brynjarsdottir scored the lone goal of the match breaking the scoreless tie in the 76th minute to keep the Seminoles unbeaten on the year while running their home unbeaten streak to 23 games (22-0-1).
Nora Kervroedan began the scoring play has she fed a great ball to Brynjarsdottir, who split the Sooners central defenders and took one touch before blasting a shot into the net from 16 yards out for her team leading third goal of the season and second game-winner in 2013.
“Nora was dribbling the ball and I saw a gap between the center backs,” said Brynjarsdottir. “She slipped a really good ball through; I took one touch and finished it.”
Florida State finished the match with a 16-4 edge in shots as eight of the Seminoles’ shots went on goal.
“On Friday night I thought we created a lot of chances and were dangerous,” said head coach Mark Krikorian. “Today, I don’t think we were quite as dangerous, quite as often and that we weren’t sharp enough.
“Overall, sitting where we are at this stage – six games into the season – it is a pretty good place to be but we know there is more to give and we will get better.”
Kelsey Wys picked up her fourth shutout of the season and has given up just two goals in over 565 minutes on the pitch this year. Wys, along with the Seminole defensive unit of Megan Campbell, Kassey Kallman, Kristin Grubka and Kirsten Crowley, limited the Sooners to just one shot on goal as that lone shot came in the sixth minute of the game.
“Our defending has been pretty solid,” added Krikorian. “We have been limiting the opportunities of our opponents and Kelsey has been there when we need her. But to be honest, we have to be better as a collective unit than what we showed out here today.”
Brynjarsdottir led all players on Sunday afternoon with four shots, while fellow Icelandic native Berglind Thorvaldsdottir attempted three shots with two going on goal.
The Seminoles looked to grab the lead in the 33rd minute when Kallman played a long ball to Anna McClung streaking down the left side of the pitch. The freshman forward collected the ball and made a nice move back toward the middle of the field to evade a Sooner defender. McClung then sent a low lining shot toward the far post but Oklahoma keeper Kassidie Stade made a diving save to keep the game scoreless.
OU had a great look from about 30 yards out off a direct free kick in the 43rd minute but the shot by Devin Barrett sailed just wide of the upper right corner.
Isabella Schmid tried to give the Garnet & Gold the lead right before the half but her bending shot from about 16 yards out was saved by Stade.
Both teams came out a little sluggish to open the second half but it was Oklahoma that applied the early pressure attempting the first two shots out of the locker room.
The Seminoles would get a great scoring chance in the 67th minute when Crowley played a cross into the box from down on the end line that was poked away by Stade. The ball was played out to Thorvaldsdottir, who one-timed a shot on frame but the OU keeper was there for the diving save.
After FSU grabbed the 1-0 lead, Oklahoma could not manage a whole lot offensively with the exception of two late corners but both were well played by the Seminoles as OU came away empty handed without attempting a shot.
With a tie and a win this weekend, Florida State moved to 57-28-5 all-time when facing a team for the first time.
Florida State will hit the road next week to open ACC play as the Seminoles will face Wake Forest on Thursday, September 12 followed by Duke on Sunday, September 15.
As always, Seminole fans can follow the Noles on twitter @FSU_Soccer and remember to like the Seminoles on Facebook (www.facebook.com/FSUSoccer).
