CARY, N.C. (seminoles.com) — The second-ranked Florida State Seminole Soccer team (15-1-2) advanced to the ACC Championship for the seventh time in the last nine seasons and the 13th time overall with a 2-1 overtime win against No. 25 Wake Forest (15-5).
Wake Forest attacked early and got an early fast break in the third minute. Cristina Roque had to come up with a huge save to force a Wake Forest corner kick. The Seminoles would get their first good look of the game in the 18th minute as Kirsten Pavlisko and Jody Brown played a give and go but Wake Forest’s goalkeeper stepped in the way of the pass.
Roque came up with her second save of the game in the 28th minute after Wake Forest fired in a shot from a free-kick after a handball. Wake Forest then broke the scoreless tie in the 31st minute on a goal from Sofia Rossi, assisted by Jenna Menta. It marked just the fifth time this season that FSU’s opponent scored the game’s first goal.
Jenna Nighswonger got off the Seminoles' first shot in the 35th minute from just outside the 18-yard box and it would go just over the top right corner of the net. Seven minutes later the Seminoles tied the game with a goal from Lauren Flynn, the second of the season for her and the second of her career. It all got set up after Yujie Zhao forced a corner kick and then served in a nice ball to the back post off the corner for her eighth assist of the season.
In the 54th minute, Wake Forest had a chance to take the lead but Roque made a diving save, her third of the game, to her left to keep the Demon Deacons out of the net. The Seminoles outshot Wake Forest 6-2 in the second half but neither team could score as the Garnet and Gold headed to overtime for the third time in four games.
The Seminoles would come away victorious this time as freshman Maria Alagoa came through in the 97th minute with her fifth goal of the season. Florida State strung together some great passes as Clara Robbins passed the ball out to the right side of the field to Pavlisko who dropped a pass into the box to Jody Brown. Brown hit a one-touch pass to the top of the 18-yard box where Alagoa stepped into the shot and fired it into the top left corner, sending the Noles to the ACC Championship game.
Florida State advanced to the ACC Championship game to take on Virginia on Sunday, November 7 at 1 pm for the ACC Tournament Title. The game is on ESPNU.
