College Cup breakdown: Analysis of Florida State women's soccer, its competition before semifinals
The Florida State women’s soccer team will face a familiar foe to start the College Cup.
North Carolina.
The Tar Heels (19-4-1) were the only team to defeat FSU (17-2-3) at the Seminole Soccer Complex this season, winning 2-1 in the Oct. 20 match. FSU later dropped UNC in the ACC Tournament Finals, earning a 2-1 victory in the Nov. 6 match.
So it will be a rubber match of sorts when the two ACC teams clash for a third time in the College Cup Semifinals at 6 p.m. Friday in Cary, N.C. (TV: ESPNU).
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If the top-seed Seminoles beat the two-seed Tar Heels, they would advance to play the winner of Alabama and UCLA. Those two one-seeds will square off against each other at 7:30 p.m. Friday, which can be seen on ESPNU.
The NCAA Championship is scheduled for next Monday at 6 p.m.
How do each of these four teams measure up? And how did they reach the College Cup? Here’s a breakdown of FSU, UNC, Alabama and UCLA.
1. Florida State (17-2-3)
How they reached the College Cup: Defeated Florida Gulf Coast (3-0), LSU (4-1), Pittsburgh (3-0) and Arkansas (1-0).
Offense: 2.82 goals per game (4th out of 337 teams nationally), 2.59 assists per game (7th), 8.23 points per game (4th), 16.77 shots per game (32nd), 8.14 shots on goal per game (21st), 48.5% shot accuracy (78th).
Offensive leaders
Goals: Onyi Echegini (10).
Assists: Jenna Nighswonger (16).
Points: Jenna Nighswonger (28).
Shots: Jenna Nighswonger (81).
Shots on goal: Jenna Nighswonger (33).
Defense: 0.765 goals-against average (39th), 3.59 saves per game (230th), 82.3% save percentage (49th), 50% shutout percentage (38th).
Top goalkeeper: Cristina Roque (12-1-3) | 16 games, 16 starts, 12 goals allowed, 0.74 goals-against average, 57 saves, 82.6% save percentage, seven shutouts.
Analysis: FSU will be playing in its third straight College Cup, and its fourth in the last five seasons.
So the Seminoles know what it takes to win at this stage of the NCAA Tournament, even if they are playing for a first-year coach in Brian Pensky.
“Experience, in all walks of life, breeds confidence,” Pensky said in a press conference Monday. “And it also breeds a calmness about you. I’m lucky to be the coach of a group of kids who are very experienced at a high level.”
When FSU hired Pensky in late April, he inherited a program that had been lingering in a state of uncertainty. Three-time national championship coach Mark Krikorian abruptly resigned in March, prompting more than a dozen players to enter the transfer portal before the May 1 deadline.
Pensky helped convince a majority of those players to return to the Seminoles, which is mostly why they have been dominant again this season. His next challenge will be to complete the job and lead this team to defending its 2021 national title.
“I’m not going to say national championship or bust,” Pensky said. “Our kids celebrated, as they should, after we won the regular season (ACC championship) and after we won the (ACC) tournament. They were really, really excited and happy.
“Yet they talk about it all of the time. Winning the national championship is the measurement and the benchmark here. There is an extremely high focus on that.”
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2. North Carolina (19-4-1)
How they reached the College Cup: Defeated Old Dominion (5-0), Georgia (3-1), BYU (3-2) and Notre Dame (2-0).
Offense: 2.42 goals per game (15th), 2.21 assists per game (20th), 7.04 points per game (14th), 17.25 shots per game (25th), 8.12 shots on goal per game (22nd), 47.1% shot accuracy (114th).
Offensive leaders
Goals: Avery Patterson (11).
Assists: Avery Patterson and Isabel Cox (8).
Points: Avery Patterson (30).
Shots: Ally Sentnor (73).
Shots on goal: Avery Patterson (31).
Defense: 0.619 goals-against average (13th), 2.79 saves per game (308th), 81.7% save percentage (60th), 62.5% shutout percentage (6th).
Top goalkeeper: Emmie Allen (18-3-1) | 24 games, 24 starts, 12 goals allowed, 0.59 goals-against average, 53 saves, 81.5% save percentage, eight shutouts.
Analysis: UNC has been plagued by injuries all season.
The Tar Heels first lost their All-America defender and senior captain, Maycee Bell, to a season-ending torn meniscus injury in her left knee. Midfielder Sam Meza, who claimed second-team All-ACC honors last season, and defenders Abby Allen and Kayleigh Herr are among UNC’s other players who have been out with injuries.
Still, the Tar Heels are having another impressive season under longtime coach Anson Dorrance. His schematic switch from a 4-3-3 formation to a 3-5-2 has played a major role in their success this postseason.
“Anson has always been the measuring stick,” said Pensky about the 21-time national champion coach. “And then Mark came around about 18 years ago. The two of them have gone toe to toe for the last 17 years until this fall.
“I’ve watched those battles from afar and with a ton of admiration for both of them.”
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1. Alabama (23-2-1)
How they reached the College Cup: Defeated Jackson State (9-0), Portland (2-1), UC Irvine (3-1) and Duke (3-2 in overtime).
Offense: 2.92 goals per game (2nd), 2.62 assists per game (6th), 8.46 points per game (2nd), 20.31 shots per game (4th), 8.62 shots on goal per game (15th), 42.4% shot accuracy (257th).
Offensive leaders
Goals: Riley Mattingly Parker (17).
Assists: Felicia Knox (20).
Points: Riley Mattingly Parker (41).
Shots: Felicia Knox (65).
Shots on goal: Riley Mattingly Parker (32).
Defense: 0.648 goals-against average (19th), 2.92 saves per game (295th), 81.7% save percentage (59th), 46.2% shutout percentage (65th).
Top goalkeeper: McKinley Crone (23-2-1) | 26 games, 26 starts, 17 goals allowed, 0.67 goals-against average, 73 saves, 81.1% save percentage, 10 shutouts.
Analysis: Alabama lacks the women’s soccer accolades that FSU, UNC and UCLA have accumulated over the years.
The Crimson Tide are not only appearing in their first-ever College Cup. They also had not won an NCAA Tournament match until last season. Not to mention Alabama has not produced an All-America player in program history, though that might change after this season.
Eighth-year coach Wes Hart – a former FSU assistant who helped lead the Seminoles to their first national title in 2014 – is clearly taking Alabama to new heights.
“Wes is one of my best friends in this game. He has done a phenomenal job,” Pensky said. “They are a terrific blend of tough, athletic, competitive and soccer playing. He’s got his 4-4-2, and they are really challenging.”
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1. UCLA (20-2-1)
How they reached the College Cup: Defeated Northern Arizona (4-1), UCF (1-1 tie before winning 3-0 in penalty kicks), Northwestern (2-0) and Virginia (2-1 in overtime).
Offense: 2.70 goals per game (7th), 2.39 assists per game (12th), 7.78 points per game (7th), 18.30 shots per game (15th), 8.78 shots on goal per game (9th), 48.0% shot accuracy (86th).
Offensive leaders
Goals: Sunshine Fontes (11).
Assists: Ally Lemos (8).
Points: Sunshine Fontes (29).
Shots: Reilyn Turner (58).
Shots on goal: Reilyn Turner (35).
Defense: 0.512 goals-against average (6th), 3.00 saves per game (285th), 85.2% save percentage (14th), 56.5% shutout percentage (17th).
Top goalkeeper: Lauren Brzykcy (20-2-1) | 23 games, 23 starts, 11 goals allowed, 0.52 goals-against average, 61 saves, 84.7% save percentage, eight shutouts.
Analysis: Call UCLA the ACC killer.
The Bruins have defeated three ACC teams this season. They dropped Duke (2-1) and North Carolina (2-1) on the road in back-to-back matches to start September. To advance to the College Cup, UCLA beat Virginia, 2-1, in overtime.
Before this season, Margueritte Aozasa had never been a Division I head coach. The Bruins hired her after she helped coach Stanford to a pair of NCAA Championships in her seven seasons as one of its assistants.
She has quickly established herself well as a head coach.
“Total credit to that staff as a first-year group together,” Pensky said. “They have done a phenomenal job from start to finish as a group. They have some very talented individual players.”
Up Next
Who: FSU (17-2-3) vs. North Carolina (19-4-1)
When/Where: Friday, 6 p.m.; Cary, N.C.
TV: ESPNU.
Reach Carter Karels at ckarels@gannett.com or follow him on Twitter @CarterKarels. You can also follow our coverage on Facebook (NoleSports) and Instagram (tlhnolesports).
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This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: FSU women's soccer: Breaking down NCAA tournament semifinal teams
