TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Top-ranked Florida State (12-0-0, 5-0-0 ACC) registered goals from seven different players Thursday night as the Seminoles rolled to a 7-0 victory over Clemson (5-7-2, 0-6-0 ACC) to remain undefeated on the year and gain sole possession of first place in the ACC standings with 15 points. 

“I thought it was a solid performance,” said head coach Mark Krikorian.  “I talked to the team before the match about coming out hard, creating some chances early in the game to get a goal or two early and then control the game from there and I thought our group did a pretty good job of that tonight.”

After scoring just five goals through the first four ACC games, Florida State opened the flood gates Thursday night tallying a season-high seven goals – the most scored by the Seminoles since an 8-0 victory over UAB in 2009.  It also marked the second straight year in which the Seminoles scored six or more goals against the Tigers. 

The win was FSU’s sixth straight over Clemson, while the Seminoles extended their unbeaten streak in the series to 14 games (12-0-2).  The victory also gave Florida State the school record for consecutive ACC wins at eight dating back to last year.  The previous record of seven was set in 2005 and then matched again in 2008. 

Florida State limited Clemson to just one shot in the contest as the lone shot for the Tigers didn’t come until the 78th minute.  The Seminoles on the other hand tallied 14 shots with nine of those going on frame including seven finding the back of the net. 

“It’s nice that we were able to make substitutions and play everyone while maintaining a high level,” said senior midfielder Dria Hampton.  “I think once you get up on a team (you have a tendency) to make turnovers and give up an easy goal, so it was nice to see that our concentration and our focus was good throughout the entire match.”

Kelsey Wys and Taylor Vancil each played a half between the posts as Vancil recorded the lone save for the Seminoles.  Wys picked up the win, her 11th of the season, while Florida State posted its seventh straight shutout and 10th of the season. 

“The shutout feels great,” said defender Ines Jaurena.  “We just need to continue to build off the momentum.  Tonight, we got a shutout again and that is what we are looking for the next time out.”

The Garnet & Gold also extended their consecutive shutout minutes streak to over 708 minutes on the year.  FSU has now allowed just one goal in the last 11 matches.  The seventh straight shutout also established a school record eclipsing the previous mark of six set in 2003.

“Our defending from front to back including our goalkeepers has been very solid,” said Krikorian.  “As of late we have done a good job of limiting the opponents’ chances on goal.” 

Thursday night also marked the annual Paint it Pink game as the Seminoles donned pink jerseys in an effort to raise awareness for breast cancer research.  The jerseys worn by the players in the win over Clemson will be auctioned off online at Seminoles.com beginning Friday, October 5.  The auction will last two weeks.  All donations from the game and proceeds from the jerseys will be given to the Sharon Ewing Walker Breast Health Center at Tallahassee Memorial Hospital. 

“Tonight was an opportunity for all of us to give back and support a very worthwhile cause,” said Krikorian on the team wearing pink jerseys in support of Breast Cancer Awareness.

“I love the occasion of wearing the pink jerseys,” added Jaurena. “A lot of people come out to support a great cause.  We are able to raise awareness and money.  It has always been a great night in the four years that I have been here.”

“I think it’s really awesome (that we have a night like this to raise awareness) because I have actually experienced it first hand as my grandmother fought the battle for eight years,” said Hampton. “She beat it the first time and a year later it came back.  It was neat for me to come out today and know that she is watching above.  A  lot of people come watch us and I think it is important since people see us in this setting that maybe someday it will save someone else’s life.  I know for my grandmother that is exactly what she would say that something like this could save someone else’s life so they wouldn’t have to go through what she went through.”

Four different Seminoles tallied a goal and an assist Thursday night including seniors Ines Jaurena and Dria Hampton, sophomore Dagny Brynjarsdottir and freshman Carson Pickett. 

“It’s nice to have a lot of attacking options and different kids scoring in different ways and tonight some came on set pieces and others during the run of play,” added Krikorian.  “I thought the athletic quality we displayed tonight was quite good.”

Jaurena set a career-high with three points for her first career multi-point game as she opened up the scoring in the 10th minute with a header off a cross from Isabella Schmid from about eight yards out off the first Seminole corner kick of the evening.  Schmid played a short corner to Hampton, who made a pass right back to Schmid out in open space to her right.  The German native then bent a beautiful ball into the box that Jaurena connected with a header into the back of the net for an early 1-0 lead. 

The assist for Schmid was the first of her career and her first collegiate point, while it marked the second assist of the season for Hampton.

Florida State blew open the game with three goals in a span of five minutes in the first half to extend the lead to 4-0. 

Hampton opened the scoring with a rocket shot from just inside the 18-yard box for her first goal as a Seminole.  After Jessica Price made a nice move down near the end line to avoid two Tiger defenders, the senior forward sent a pass back toward the top of the box to Hampton.  The Piedmont, Okla., native stopped the ball, made a nice move to her left to avoid a defender and free up enough space for the goal.

Brynjarsdottir took advantage of a failed clear from inside the 18-yard box by a Tiger defender off a cross from Jaurena to increase FSU’s lead to 3-0.

Tiffany McCarty and Brynjarsdottir would connect on the fourth and final goal of the half in the 22nd minute.  The Icelandic native slotted a low-liner to McCarty, who ran in on the pass, made a nice stop and go with the ball to elude Tiger keeper Sydney Branson and punch the ball into an empty net for her team leading sixth goal of the season. 

The three points for Brynjarsdottir tied a career-high with her last three-point performance coming at Virginia in 2011. 

The Seminoles wasted very little time adding to their lead out of the break as Kassey Kallman came running in, untouched down the middle of the field, to one-time a cross by Pickett in the 49th minute to grab a five-goal advantage.  Tiana Brockway was credited with an assist on the play as FSU converted on yet another corner kick opportunity.

Pickett pushed FSU’s lead to 6-0 in the 61st minute as she one-timed a cross by Nora Kervroedan.  For Pickett, a native of Fleming Island, Fla., it marked her first career multi-point game. 

Freshman Rylee Hart wrapped up the scoring Thursday night heading a cross from Kahlia Hogg inside the left post from about eight yards out for her first collegiate goal.  The assist for Hogg was her first as a Seminole and first collegiate point. 

The top-ranked Seminoles will remain at home to face No. 15 Virginia Tech on Thursday, October 11 at 8:00 p.m.  The game will broadcast live on FS South, Sun Sports, Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic and NESN.  Live stats for the match will be available via gametracker, while fans can always receive in-game updates on Twitter @FSU_Soccer.  Also, do not forget to like the Seminole Soccer team on Facebook at www.facebook.com/FSUSoccer.   

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