2 weeks Ago
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Aria Nagai bagged her first career brace and Clare Gagne made a career-high 13 saves as No. 4 North Carolina women's soccer dropped a 4-2 decision to No.
17 Florida State, the reigning Atlantic Coast Conference and national champion, on Friday night at the Seminole Soccer Complex in Tallahassee. The Tar Heels, who have already clinched a spot in the ACC Tournament, move to 14-3 (7-2 ACC) overall. The Seminoles improve to 11-2-2 (6-2-1 ACC).
How It Happened The Seminoles opened scoring in the 20th minute after VAR confirmed the ball crossed over the line. Gagne initially made an outstanding athletic save, but FSU regained possession in the box which allowed Jordynn Dudley to tap it in just far enough, despite the defense's valiant effort at shielding it. The home team added another one three minutes later to claim a 2-0 lead when Solai Washington took advantage of a defensive mishap to slot one into the low left corner.
UNC responded in the 34th minute to put itself within one. Bella Sember's corner kick was punched out by FSU keeper Addie Todd to an unmarked Nagi on the left side. Nagai volleyed it in with her right foot over traffic into the back of the net.
The Tar Heels leveled the score at 2-2 two minutes later off another set piece sequence. Sember again provided the service from the corner which was headed out by a Seminole into Nagai's path. From the same spot, Nagai was able to settle the ball and send a shot off her right boot which deflected off a defender into the net.
An eventful first half saw the two powerhouse programs go into the break deadlocked at 2-2 as FSU held an 11-5 edge in shots. Gagne matched her career-high five saves in the first 45 minutes. Florida State regained the lead in the 52nd minute.
Washington broke free off a pass from Dudley, holding off her defender to send a strike to the far post from the left side. UNC had two brilliant opportunities to even the score in the 62nd and 64th minutes from Linda Ullmark , but both strikes from distance grazed the crossbar. FSU made it a 4-2 game with 23 minutes remaining.
Wrianna Hudson's header gave Dudley the chance to split between two defenders, sending a low shot from the right side to the far post. Sember had one last attempt on frame to give the Tar Heels another one in the 88th minute, but her shot was denied by Todd. Inside the Box Score Gagne set a career high 13 saves – five in the first half and nine in the second – to surpass her previous best of five done five times prior.
Gagne's 13 stops were the most since Lindsey Harris had 11 at Duke on Sept. 2, 2016. She was one off the program-record 14 by Molly Current in 1980.
Nagai now has three goals on the season and recorded the first brace of her career. Nagai becomes the fourth Tar Heel to bag a brace this season, joining Kate Faasse , Olivia Thomas and Ullmark. FSU out-shot UNC 26-11, including 18-5 on target, and had a 7-4 advantage on corner kicks.
Eight Tar Heels logged a full 90 minutes: Aven Alvarez , Maddie Dahlien , Tessa Dellarose , Emerson Elgin , Gagne, Faasse, Nagai and Linda Ullmark . Up Next Fourth-ranked Carolina returns to Chapel Hill for its final regular season match against rival Duke at Dorrance Field on Thursday, Oct. 31.
Action starts at 7 p.m. ET and will air on ACCNX.
Tickets can be purchased here . The Tar Heels played the Blue Devils in Durham earlier this season for a nonconference game. Friday's contest will count towards ACC standings.
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