Nov. 12, 2004

Final Stats |  Quotes

After 110 pressure-filled minutes of scoreless soccer, Boston College and Florida State needed penalty kicks to decide the outcome of their first-round NCAA Tournament match in Gainesville, Fla.

It was the first matchup between the future ACC rivals, and if it proves as any indication of what others will be like, it was the beginning of an intense rivalry. Both squads played with fiery passion, evident in the defensive struggle that characterized the entire contest.

No. 24 Florida State (12-5-3) was selected to kick first in the sudden-death shootout and Katie Beal gave the Seminoles a 1-0 lead as she beat BC senior goalkeeper Elyse Meredith to the left. Meredith, the Eagles penalty-kick specialist, entered the game after the second overtime period, spelling junior Kate Taylor, who had two saves on the night.

The No. 25 Eagles (14-6-1) answered right back as sophomore Jenny Mauer fired a rocket past a diving Joy McKenzie to even the count at one.

The next three shots were missed, paving the way for freshman Kia McNeill, who beat McKenzie to the top right corner of the goal. McNeill's tally brought BC within one shot of reaching the second round and gave the Eagles a 2-1 lead with each team having two kicks remaining.

FSU midfielder Camie Bybee had a chance to even the score at two but Meredith, true to her role as shot-stopping specialist, denied the attempt. Bybee hammered a shot that was headed for the bottom right corner of the goal when a diving Meredith laid out and deflected the ball away from the net.

The Eagles would have two chances to win the game but would need just the first. Maddie Johnson, the third Boston College freshman to take a penalty kick, was unfazed by the tense circumstances. Johnson stepped up to the ball and beat McKenzie to the right, giving the Eagles a 3-1 deciding edge and their first berth in the second round since 1999.

The missed opportunity by the Eagles came less than ten minutes after FSU had its best chance to score. After a rare breakdown by the BC defense, the Seminoles had two good looks at the goal. With Taylor on the ground after diving for a ball, freshman Katie Coffey protected the goal, notching BC's second team save of the night. Thirty seconds later, Mary Schneck saved another goal, continuing the stellar play of the BC defense.

The Eagles refused to allow Florida State any scoring opportunities in the first half. Sophomore Molly Dane was active in the back for the Eagles as she clogged up the Seminole passing lanes and prevented their offense from creating any chances.

Schneck and Dane were joined in an outstanding defensive effort by Coffey and Lindsey McArdle. Coffey's sliding tackle on freshman Holly Peltzer at 52:11 stopped an FSU breakaway and preserved the tie.

In the other first-round match, host Florida was upset by the University of Central Florida, 3-2. The Eagles will be the higher-seed when they play UCF on Sunday at 1 p.m.