CARY, N.C. (theACC.com) – With MAC Hermann Trophy watch list candidate Deyna Castellanos leading the charge, Florida State stormed past Virginia in the Atlantic Coast Conference Women’s Soccer Championship semifinals Friday night at WakeMed Soccer Park.
Castellanos scored two of the seventh-seeded Seminoles three second-half goals as they overcame a 1-0 halftime deficit to post a 3-1 victory. FSU (14-4-2) anced to Sunday’s noon title game and will face top-seeded North Carolina (17-2-1) in a game that will be televised nationally by ESPNU.
“My teammates needed me tonight, and I showed up,” Castellanos said. “I’m very, very happy. The work we all did in getting this win was unbelievable.”
Florida State will be bidding for its sixth ACC title and fifth in six years. The Seminoles also seek to avenge a 1-0 loss to the Tar Heels in Tallahassee on Sept. 13.
“We’re looking forward to it,” FSU coach Mike Krikorian said. “They’re such a great program, and it’s historic. There are very few people I have as much respect for as (UNC head coach) Anson Dorrance and the success he’s created and the example he’s set for all of us. To be able to go out and compete against his group is a privilege and an honor.”
Friday night’s result also gave the nationally seventh-ranked Seminoles their second victory of the season over the third-seeded and 11th-ranked Cavaliers. FSU claimed a 2-0 win when the teams met Oct. 21 in Charlottesville and is the only team this season to score more than one goal against Virginia.
“Definitely the better team won tonight, nobody can dispute that,” Virginia coach Steve Swanson said. “Florida State was better than us in every phase. We’ve got to bounce back and learn from it. This is very disappointing from our end. I just don’t think played very well tonight.”
Still, Virginia grabbed a 1-0 lead with just over two minutes remaining in the first half. Cavalier midfielder Ayan Adu lined a shot from the left side that was deflected by FSU keeper Brooke Bollinger, but junior Zoe Morse was on the spot for the follow shot to put Virginia on the board.
The goal was the first of the season for Morse, who began her collegiate career as a midfielder but moved to the defensive back line this year. She became the 16th player to score a goal for the Cavaliers this season.
Virginia led 7-3 in first-half shots and held a 3-2 edge in corner kicks.
Florida State tied things up at 1-1 early in the second half, when Castellanos took a pass from Kristina Lynch from the top of the box on the left side and lined in her eighth goal of the season.
The Maracay, Venezuela, junior struck again with 24:44 remaining in the game, knocking in a deflected cross pass to make it 2-1 after Virginia goalkeeper Laurel Ivory – who made the initial save – was knocked to the ground after a collision in the box.
The goals were the 34th and 35
th of Castellanos’ career, moving her up to fourth place on Florida State’s all-time list.
The Seminoles’ clincher came with 8:27 remaining, when Kristen MacFarland scored off a pass from Kaycie Tillman for the 3-1 final.
Friday night’s victory was the first come-from-behind win of the season for Florida State. It marked Virginia’s first loss after holding the lead in a match since a 2-1 decision versus North Carolina in September of 2017.
“(That experience) is going to maybe come in handy for us as we go forward,” Krikorian said. “Now our kids have shown on a bigger stage that we can come back, fight our way back into the game and find a way to win.”