Cary, N.C. — Spectacular goals, 90 minutes of entertainment and a grueling physical encounter.

What else to expect from two ACC rivals battling in a national semifinal? 

Two goals from Florida State midfielder Jamia Fields – including a long distance shot that caromed off the crossbar, goalkeeper and into the back of the net – proved to be enough as Florida State held on for a 3-2 win against Virginia Tech in the first women’s College Cup semifinal on Friday.

Fields’ second goal of the night, coming in the 83rd minute was just enough, as Virginia Tech’s forward Jazmine Reeves hit the crossbar with under a minute left, punctuating a wild encounter.

"Sometimes in this game you have a little bit of luck," Florida State head coach Mark Krikorian said after the game. "One of the words that we have used to describe our team this season has been perseverance. We showed that again today and we were able to find a way to win a game."

The opening 10 minutes of the game was a logjam in the midfield, as the few dangerous opportunities for either side came from Seminole defender Megan Campbell’s long throw in – a weapon that would prove beneficial later on in the evening.

Florida State began to dominate for longer stretches, looking to turn the screw in the final third through the Icelandic duo of Dagny Brynjarsdottir and Bergind Thorvalsdottir.

But it was the Hokies that opened the scoring first, as the substitute Ashley Manning struck. The attacker outmuscled Florida State defender Kassey Kallman on a through ball, danced around goalkeeper Kelsey Wys and slotted in to an empty net.

"I think Florida State looks to hit the player before they look at the ball, so I saw [Kallman] look at me instead of the ball and I just backed up and let her go for me," Manning said. "Then, she kind of missed me and the ball fell right at my feet and I was able to finish it."

A clearly rattled Seminole side needed a few minutes to regain composure, eventually equalizing two minutes before the half. Kristin Grubka provided the tally, diving to guide a Marta Bakowsla-Mathews free kick past Dayle Colpitts, who came off her line but failed to claim the cross.

Eight minutes into the second half, Wys had to be alert on a pair of dangerous chances – she got a hand to tip a Manning header wide, then guided the resulting corner kick out of danger. Krikorian gave credit to Tech after the game for throwing FSU off its usual game.

"I thought they broke the rhythm of our play very well," he said. "Through the course of the game, there were moments where we probably should have passed the ball a little quicker and found the wide space."

It was the Seminoles that jumped out in front in the 57th minute. A Campbell long throw instigated the opportunity, as she found Brynjarsdottir in stride with a 35-yard toss. The Icelandic maestro controlled the ball and crossed to an unmarked Fields, who made no mistake to make it a 2-1 game.

Tech missed a glorious opportunity to tie the game in the 67th minute. A bad pass out of the back came to Reeves, who created space toward the edge of the penalty area, but her curling, driven shot only hit the post after eluding a diving Wys.

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Brynjarsdottir missed a point-blank chance to put the game out of reach, as a lofted Campbell free kick fell to her feet right in front of Colpitts. The midfielder’s mis-hit shot bounced out of bounds for a goal kick.

The miss would prove costly for a time, as Tech equalized. Ashley Meier slipped behind the Seminole back line onto a through ball from Manning, beating Wys at her near post to tie it at 2-2 in the 79th minute.

That cued the dramatics from Fields, who sent in a long, hopeful looking cross the found the crossbar, bounced off Colpitts and into the net with seven minutes to go. Tech ramped up the pressure, as Reeves hit the post again on a dipping volley at the top of the box – but the Seminoles held to stay alive.

The Hokies, while heartbroken by the nature of the loss, knew they left it all out on the field.

"I'm just proud of our team," Reeves said. "To make it to the College Cup is outstanding and I'm disappointed, obviously, with the result, but sometimes that happens. But I couldn't be more proud of my team, couldn't be more excited about what we've done this season."

photo credit: Larry Novey