CARY, N.C. — The No. 5 Florida State soccer team (13-2-3) knocked off No. 2 North Carolina (15-4-1) 2-1 to win its third straight ACC Championship. It was the Seminoles’ ninth ACC Championship in the last 12 seasons. The Garnet and Gold have won the ACC Title each of the last nine times they have played in it.
With the win, FSU is 6-1 against UNC in the ACC Tournament since 2011 and FSU is 21-11-9 in Cary and 18-8-6 in Cary for the ACC Tournament. The match was also Clara Robbins' 105th match played in her career putting her atop the record book for career games played at FSU.
North Carolina stuck first a goal on their first shot. That shot did not come until the 23rd minute but Avery Patterson scored her 10th goal of the season off assists from Isabel Cox and Emily Moxley.
The Seminoles were not down for long as they scored in the 31st minute. Jenna Nighswonger took a corner kick from the right corner and slung it into the back of the net without touching another player. It was Nighswonger’s fifth goal of the season.
Just over three minutes into the second half the Seminoles took their first lead of the game after Jody Brown scored her seventh goal of the season. Nighswonger sent a shot into the bottom corner that was saved by UNC but Brown was there on clean-up duty to give FSU a 2-1 lead.
The Seminoles held on to the one goal lead for the last 42 minutes as the defense held the Tar Heels to only seven shots and four on goal.
Florida State finds out who they play in the NCAA Tournament on Monday at 4 PM during the NCAA Soccer Selection Show. The show will be streamed at ncaa.com.
2022 Atlantic Coast Conference women's soccer all-tournament team: Jenna Nighswonger, Florida State (MVP); Jody Brown, Florida State; Onyi Echegini, Florida State; Beata Olsson, Florida State; Emily Moxley, North Carolina; Avery Patterson, North Carolina; Tori Hansen, North Carolina; Korbin Albert, Notre Dame; Ruthie Jones, Duke; Michelle Cooper, Duke; Kate Rader, Duke
