TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida State's Kristen McFarland scored a goal in each half to give the sixth-ranked Seminoles a 2-0 victory of the University of South Alabama soccer team in the first round of the NCAA Tournament Friday night at the Seminole Soccer Complex.
FSU will host Brown in the second round on Friday and improves to 16-5 on the season. USA ends its year at 16-4-2.
GAME FACTS
- It didn't take long for the Seminoles to get on the board as a long ball over the top from Jaelin Howell found Yujie Zhao, who crossed it to a wide-open McFarland standing five yards out in front of the goal at 4:44
- A shot from Clara Robbins at the top of the six-yard box in the 21st minute was blocked by freshman Leandra Flury
- Deyna Castellanos had a pair of attempts just minutes apart that almost doubled the Seminoles' lead; first, her bicycle kick from 12 yards out went wide left at 38:06, then a minute and a half later, almost caught senior Justice Stanford off her line from over 40 yards out but hit the top of the net
- Just before halftime, a header by Leilanni Nesbeth from short range was saved by Stanford
- Sophomore Tilly Wilkes cleared a ball off the line on a corner kick in the 52nd minute, and a short while later, Stanford had to make a diving stop to keep out Castellanos
- Florida State dominated a short stretch, putting up six shots in a four-minute span starting in the 55th minute, culminating in McFarland's second of the night; McFarland got free between two defenders just inside the top of the box and beat Stanford to the lower left corner at 58:48
- Stanford finished with six saves and two goals allowed; FSU's Caroline Jeffers made one save
- The Seminoles outshot the Jaguars 20-2, including 9-1 on goal
NOTES
- South Alabama falls to 1-6 all-time in the NCAA Tournament; all six losses have come on the road to nationally-ranked opposition, including four at Florida State
- The two-goal margin ties the Jaguars' closest loss in postseason play (3-1 vs.