In a battle between two true titans, both Florida State and Virginia had a great goal, both teams had a great opportunity that hit the woodwork, and both teams got superlative saves from their keepers when needed.

Florida State 1
Virginia         1

Florida State fans were no doubt thrilled to see Gabby Carle in the starting lineup, as she has been absent for international duty the past two weeks.  She only played 2 minutes so that she could be honored on Senior Night, but it was enough to know that their team was whole again.  Virginia fans had to wait a bit longer, about 23 minutes, to witness the return of Samar Guidry, who had missed the past two games due to injury.  Guidry is an electrifying force at left back and it would only take her 40 minutes or so to provide the service that would secure the ACC season title.

The first half was a seesaw battle that if it were being scored a la boxing, the Cavaliers might have “won.”  The first half’s best chances were created by Virginia and the Cavs got their best open look in just the fifth minute when a ball in the FSU box was poorly cleared in the melee and fell to Lia Godfrey.  Godfrey snapped off a blast only to be denied by a sparkling save by FSU keeper Christina Roque.

Virginia’s other best chance came around the 32 minute mark as Godfrey and Diana Ordonez combined for a shot that FSU couldn’t clear away and the ball fell to Guidry who slotted the ball to Ordonez.  Ordonez hit a fine shot, one that was going in, except for Jody Brown, who is growing by leaps and bounds in her own right, was on the line to head the ball up and into the crossbar.  The Seminoles were able to clear that ball properly.  If you’re keeping score at home, that’s Florida State keeper +1, Florida State woodwork +1.

Florida State’s best chance came in between these two Virginia play when Kristin Pavlisko drove to the edge of the box and slipped the ball to Jenna Nighswonger who had time.  The shot deflected off of Claire Constant, the kind of deflection that is a keeper’s worst nightmare, but Laurel Ivory got down low for the save.  +1 to the Virginia keeper.

The first ended with the score knotted at 0 – 0 and the second half began as the Virginia fan in me was dreading, with Florida State immediately on the front foot.  There are few coaches who are able to so motivate his players at halftime as FSU’s Mark Krikkorian.  Florida State is such a poised, skilled team that sometimes they forget how pacy and direct they can be.  Oh, and in this game, they forgot just how physical they can be, because the Noles ramped that up, too.

Virginia is not a physical team, and while you cannot play Godfrey or Taryn Torres or Claire Constant off the ball, the Cavs are susceptible to teams that play rough.  And Florida State came out determined to throw their weight around.  Grabbing, pushing, shoving, full bodied sliding tackles.  FSU brought out the whole arsenal.  The ref wasn’t having any of it though, as he handed out three yellow cards to FSU and probably passed on a fourth that occurred a split second after the ball had been whistled out of bounds.  The women’s game sees far fewer yellow cards – maybe because everyone still expects women to play more daintily – so this ref clearly felt that FSU was over the line.

So it was against the run of play, then, that Virginia got on the board first.  Eighteen minutes in, Haley Hopkins was dispossessed of the ball on the left.  A streaking Guidry collected the ball in stride, drove to the end line and crossed the ball to an in-rushing Ordonez who directed the ball, point blank, into the back of the net.  Such is the element that Guidry brings.

A great job by Guidry on the ball in and what a finish by Ordoñez to put the Hoos in front.

Watch on ACC Network: https://t.co/barJMuYUtE#GoHoos ?⚔️? | #ALLIN ⚽️? pic.twitter.com/u93cSLkg4L

— Virginia Women's Soccer (@UVAWomenSoccer) October 29, 2021

Virginia’s lead was short-lived.  Less than four minutes later, a couple of passes found Yujie Zhao, 30 yards from goal, and wide open.  I’m not sure who had primary responsibility for covering Zhao at that moment, but you cannot leave a player of her quality that wide open.  She unleashed a cannonball into the top right of the goal.  It was a perfect strike and Ivory had no chance.

YUJIE ZHAO!!!! ?

?: ACC Network pic.twitter.com/9Bey9po1ui

— FSU Soccer (@FSUSoccer) October 29, 2021

Both teams had quality looks over the final 20 minutes, looks that might have been converted if either team were playing lesser teams.  At this level?  FSU vs UVa?  The margins are smaller and it’s hard to score.

The two overtime periods were a reprise of the second half.  Both teams created opportunities, opportunities that went lacking.  With just a minute left in the game, it was time for the woodwork to save Virginia.  Clara Robbins, who has seemingly scored most of her goals against Virginia, got the ball in the box and slotted her shot low, toward the right corner.  It was a great shot, Ivory was beat, but the ball hit the upright and squirted away from every Seminole in the box.  Final score:  Virginia 1, Florida State 1, goalpost 2.

With the tie, Virginia wins just the third ACC regular season title under Steve Swanson and gets the result versus Florida State when silverware is on the line.  Oh, and we’re ranked #1.  With the win, Virginia gets the “easier” side of the bracket for the ACC tourney, given that a presuming that it is Duke vs Florida State in the other semifinal.  Virginia had already secured a first-round bye for the tournament, a tournament it should be noted, will be missing North Carolina for the first time ever.  Such was the strength of the ACC this year that the team currently ranked #7 in the country, and who had taken both Virginia and Florida State to 120-minute draws, is on the outside looking in.

Next Up:  The winner of the Notre Dame vs Clemson game on Friday, October 5^th at 5:30pm.