FSU Battles Past Marquette

The Seminoles extend their home unbeaten streak to 13 games.

 

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (seminoles.com) – Seventh-ranked Florida State (4-1-0) wrapped up its three-game home stand with a grueling 3-1 victory over No. 11 Marquette (4-1-0) Friday evening handing the Golden Eagles their first loss of the season. 

 

Tori Huster, Jessica Price and Janice Cayman each scored a goal in the win as the Seminoles extended their home unbeaten streak to 13 games (12-0-1), the third longest streak in school history.  Cayman led the Seminoles with three points on the night with a goal and an assist while recording a team-high two shots. 

 

In a rematch from last year’s NCAA Tournament third round game, a match won by the Seminoles 3-0, both teams battled it out for 90 minutes on Friday with the Golden Eagles holding the advantage in shots (12-6) and corner kicks (2-1).

 

“I certainly think the run of play over 90 minutes was more held by Marquette than it was for us,” said head coach Mark Krikorian.  “There was a period in the second half after Marquette scored that we did impose ourselves in the game.  We did create some good attacking chances and had some decent possessions.  Overall, we have to feel good about the win but not necessarily the full performance.”

 

The Seminoles broke out to an early 1-0 lead on the first shot of the game thanks to Huster’s second goal of the season.  Off a Seminole throw-in, Huster redirected a deflection from Cayman inside the left post from seven yards out to give FSU the advantage in the eighth minute of play.

 

Marquette’s best scoring chance in the first half came in the 38th minute as Lindsey Page fed Rachael Sloan between two defenders.  After a couple dribbles, Sloan fired a shot wide of the far post and out of bounds as the Seminoles maintained their one-goal lead into the half.

 

Both schools combined for six shots in the first half with the Seminoles limited to just two.

 

The Golden Eagles came out of the gates with the momentum controlling the offensive tempo while recording the first three shots of the second half.  The third shot was the equalizer as Page sent a pass from the end line back towards the top of the 18-yard box that Britney Scott one-timed inside the lower right corner to tie the game at one.  The goal was Scott’s first of the season.

 

“I think that Marquette came out of halftime buzzing and we knew they would,” said Krikorian. “They are a high energy team. They got a deserved goal. They worked hard for it, it was a quality ball and a quality finish and they deserved to make it 1-1 at that time.”

 

Marquette continued to apply the offense pressure until Toni Pressley sent a shot just wide in the 58th minute.  On a give-and-go from Cayman, Pressley slipped behind a defender into an open spot on the left side of the field and bent a shot just wide of the far post. 

 

The Seminoles would break the tie in the 65th minute on spectacular individual effort from Price.  The redshirt junior forward dribbled down the left hand side of the field and tried to beat a Golden Eagle defender toward the end line.  With the defender maintaining inside position on the ball and trying to let it roll out of bounds, Price made a quick inside move around the defender to regain possession.  As Marquette keeper Natalie Kulla was charging on the play, Price slotted the ball between the post and the goalkeeper inside the upper right corner to give the Noles a 2-1 advantage.  The goal was Price’s second of the season and first game-winner. 

 

“We all know that Jess has pretty good quickness and pace,” added Krikorian.  “She was able to get around the defender, gain possession of the ball, keep it in play, dance along the end line and bend the ball into the corner; a big goal for us at a very important moment.”

 

“I think we showed ourselves as a mature team fighting back from that 1-1 tie,” said Cayman. “Jess did a great job of getting us that lead and helped to settled down the game for us.”

 

“I actually took a bad touch toward the end line and I thought I would not be able to get there,” said Price.  “Then the defender stopped and didn’t put her body in front of me, so I knew I could run around her.  The goalie stepped out and took a bad angle, so I poked it in the goal.”

 

Marquette made a late charge to tie the match up for the second time Friday night but FSU keeper Kelsey Wys came up huge to keep the lead intact.  Ally Miller made a strong run down the right hand side of the field and fired a bending shot toward the far post.  Wys made a fantastic diving save to her right to keep the ball out of the net.  The rebound would go to the feet of Page but her shot would be blocked by the Seminole defense and played out of harm’s way. 

 

“We all know that Kelsey Wys is a big-time goalkeeper,” added Krikorian.  “When you are playing at the level that we are and you are playing against all these teams, top-10, top-20, your goalkeeper is going to have to steal a goal for you once in a while. Those were two big saves at the end to preserve the win for us.”

 

Wys finished the game with three saves in 90 minutes of action.

 

Cayman sealed the match in the 90th minute with her first goal of the season to give FSU a 3-1 lead.  The Belgium native took a pass from Ella Stephan and blasted a shot from a good 30 yards out beating Kulla with a goal into the upper left corner. 

 

“I saw the goalkeeper off her line so I thought it was worth the shot,” added Cayman.

 

Florida State hits the road for a Sunday matinee in Birmingham, Ala., as the Noles take on UAB at 2:00 p.m. EST.  Gametracker will be available for the contest, while fans can receive updates throughout the game on Twitter at @FSU_Soccer.  

 

 

 

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