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Maryland's #11, senior Olivia Wagner, was honored before the match and provided the best scoring chances for the Terrapins

The Florida State Seminoles got an 86th-minute goal from their leading scorer Tiffany McCarty, which was enough to squeak out a 1-0 victory over the hosting Maryland Terrapins and clinch first place in the ACC. Maryland, however, should take some consolation in hanging tough against the team that was #1 in the nation before Thursday night despite being without their own leading scorer, Hayley Brock, who received a red card in her previous match.

Both teams started out tentatively, and it was over six minutes before the first shot, a routine attempt by Florida State’s Ines Jaurena from the top right corner of the box that went right to starting goalkeeper Shannon Zickler at the near post. (Regular goalkeeper Rachelle Beanlands replaced Zickler, one of six seniors honored before the match, after twenty minutes of play.)

Maryland only had two decent chances in the first half, both down to freshman midfielder Ashley Spivey. In the 24th minute she made some nifty moves in the left corner and eventually attempted a cross that was knocked out for the team’s first corner kick. In the 38th minute, she made a great steal in the midfield and brought the ball up quickly, but rather than pass to teammates on either side, she took a hopeful shot from just outside the box that went wide left. The Terrapins primary offensive strategy, though, seemed to be to try to send long balls through the back line, not a fruitful strategy against a team that had given up only six goals all season.

Florida State had much the better of possession but Maryland’s defense kept them from doing much with it. Their best chance of the first half came in the 28th minute off an extended buildup that ended with Jaurena sending the ball into the box for McCarty, who passed back out to Jamia Fields, who shot wide left. First half stats showed the Seminoles with five shots to the Terrapins’ one.

Maryland came out with more focus in the second half, and it almost paid off in the opening seconds as Gabby Galanti – one of the two forwards standing in for Brock – sent a through ball for midfielder Riley Barger, but Barger’s path was successfully blocked by a defender. Three minutes later, Spivey tried to lead Galanti, but the ball had too much pace. Even so, Maryland had already had more near chances than in the entire first half.

Maryland defender Shade Pratt duels with Florida State forward Jessica Price

Two minutes after that, Maryland right flank defender Shade Pratt did yeoman work bringing the ball up the right flank and getting it to Becky Kaplan, whose shot attempt was sent out for a corner kick. Shannon Collins’ feed went just in front of goal, where ‘Noles goalkeeper Kelsey Wys punched it out to the far post. Galanti was waiting there, though, and sent it back in, but Barger’s one-timed shot went right to Wys.

Two minutes later, it was Florida State’s turn as a corner kick was sent back along the sideline to midfielder Isabella Schmid, who lofted a dangerous-looking ball toward the far post, but it was headed high and wide by Jessica Price.

Maryland had a promising opportunity in the 58th minute off a steal in midfield by Marisa Kresge, who found a wide-open Kaplan down the left flank, but Kaplan ran out of room and support going forward and ended up sending a ball along the end line right to Wys.

Two minutes later it looked as if the Seminoles were certain to score as they got the ball to Tiffany McCarty just a few yards out from goal at the left post. McCarty dodged a defender and got off a shot, but it was deflected just wide right.

In the 67th and 68th minutes, Florida State got two great chances off of long throwins. Jaurena got off a point-blank shot that was blocked by Collins, then Jaurena got another shot from six yards out that was headed clear by Aubrey Baker. Still, one got the feeling that the visitors were knocking at the door.

Shortly thereafter, Maryland did some good work to find space for Alexis Prior-Brown – the other substitute forward trying to fill in for Brock – but she lobbed the ball right to the goalkeeper.

With the game winding down to the last twenty minutes, the Terrapins got two more big defensive plays in the box to prevent the Seminoles from getting shots off.

Just into the final ten minutes, Maryland’s Kaplan was squashed between defenders just outside the box, earning a free kick. Senior Olivia Wagner, deadly from that distance, stepped up to take it and fired a ball that curved around the wall and headed for the lower left corner, but Wys was able to get just enough on it to send it wide. Wagner’s ensuing corner kick came right into the goalmouth and looked dangerous, but a Seminole head found it before a Terrapin head could, and the ball was cleared. Two minutes earlier, Wagner had had a shot from the run of play from a similar location but sent it just outside the upper left corner.

Casey Short (Seminoles) and Corey Ryan (Terrapins) battle for the ball

With five minutes to go, Wagner sent a ball over the top to Galanti, who attempted to chase the ball down but fell after contact with a defender just outside the end line. The home fans wanted a penalty kick, but it was not forthcoming.

The goal came with 4:13 to go, Jaurena getting the ball just outside the box and beating a defender to find space inside the box out from the right post. From there she was able to send an uncontested cross toward the left post, where McCarty volleyed it back to the right and into the net.

Maryland had a bare chance with 1:40 to go when on a ball coming into the box goalkeeper Wys tried to clear but sent it right into the stomach of her oncoming defender, which it bounced off of and went out for a corner kick. But Wagner’s service went weakly to the near post, where it was cleared easily.

It was also Senior Day at Ludwig Field, and the Terrapins’ six seniors – Bailey Bodell, Domenica Hodak, Danielle Hubka, Becky Kaplan, Olivia Wagner, and Shannon Zickler – were recognized and honored. All except Hubka, who’s out with an ankle injury, started the match.

The win clinches first place in the ACC for Florida State, who play at Miami in their final regular-season match Thursday evening. They’re currently 15-1-0 overall and 8-1-0 in the conference.

Maryland, meanwhile, finished its regular season with an 11-5-2 record overall and a conference record of 6-3-1, and waits to see if it will end up in the top four in the ACC. Regardless, the NCAA has announced that Brock will be suspended for Maryland’s first playoff match for her involvement in the fight that occurred during Thursday night’s game. The ACC tournament begins on Sunday, October 28, with quarterfinal matches hosted by the top four seeds.

Photos courtesy of Tony Quinn: http://www.tonyquinnphotos.com.

Other coverage:

Florida State: McCarty’s Late Goal Lifts No. 1 FSU
Maryland: #1 Florida State Slips Past #5 Maryland, 1-0

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