Box Score

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Two early goals by Jessica Price paced fifth-ranked Florida State to a 4-1 victory over Southeastern Louisiana in the first round of the NCAA Women's Soccer Championships Friday afternoon at the Seminole Soccer Complex.

Making its first-ever appearance in the national tournament, the Lady Lions (13-5-2) mounted a valiant effort, falling short against one of the nation's top programs. Florida State advanced, improving to 17-4-1 overall.

“We want to first congratulate Florida State on advancing in the tournament and thank them for doing such a tremendous job hosting us,” Southeastern head coach Blake Hornbuckle commented. “We are very proud of the effort today. Florida State came out on the attack and put us on our heels early, but we kept fighting and we were very proud of being able to hold them scoreless in the second half.”

Despite Southeastern suffering a loss, the first round appearance capped a historic year for the Lady Lions. Hornbuckle and senior captain Candice Wallace both expressed how much breaking through into the national tournament meant to their program.

“We've been waiting 11 years to finally reach this point,” Hornbuckle commented. “Our student-athletes have worked so hard and we're so proud of their accomplishments. They deserved this moment.”

“Amazing is the only word to describe this experience,” Wallace, who finishes her collegiate career as one of the program's all-time leading scorers. “From winning the Southland Conference Tournament, to the Selection Show, to coming here and playing against one of the nation's top teams, this has been a great way to close out four years of hard work.”

FSU held a 22-5 shot advantage in the win and also had 14 corner kicks. By holding Florida State to four goals, Southeastern tied a single-season Southland Conference record with just 13 goals allowed all season.

Florida State took the early lead in the first minute. Price netted a shot 57 seconds in to give the Seminoles an early edge. Price scored after Lauren Switzer's shot was deflected by junior Brittany Prieto. The ricochet went right to Price who knocked it in past Southeastern sophomore goalkeeper Lacey Bockhaus.

The Price-Switzer combo struck again in the 14th minute. After a foul by Southeastern deep it its own box, Price put in a free kick off the foot of Switzer to double the lead.

Southeastern cut into the lead in the 20th minute after a miscue by Florida State in the backfield. Ines Jaurena tried to play the ball back to FSU goalkeeper Erin McNulty, but the ball pulled McNulty out of the net. Speedy freshman Maiya Cooper ran the ball down and put it into an open net.

Florida State went on the attack from there and the Lady Lions had to make several key saves. One by Bockhaus and one by junior Nicole Brannigan. However, FSU found the net in the 28th minute, as Ella Stephan headed in Becky Edwards' corner kick to put the lead back to two.

Southeastern mounted a threat of their own with about 10 minutes left in the first half. Cooper hit a header off a corner kick by freshman Kerry McWhirter, but her shot sailed wide left.

Florida State capped the first half scoring in the 43rd minute. Alex Crown fed Breezy Hupp just outside of the Southeastern box. Hupp made a nice move and rocketed a shot over a leaping Bockhaus for a 4-1 lead at the break.

Southeastern mounted the first threat of the second half with about 12 minutes gone in the period. Freshman Karly Dagys got free for a shot, but McNulty made a nice stop to keep the Seminole lead to three.

For the remainder of the match, Southeastern held the high-powered Seminoles in check to complete a hard-fought effort against one of the nation's top teams.