The last four seasons, the UNC and Florida State women’s soccer programs have never failed to disappoint when they met.

Carolina picked up a regular season win in 2018 before losing to Florida State in both the ACC Tournament and NCAA Championship finals. In 2019, the Tar Heels got revenge with a regular season win before the top-ranked Seminoles beat them for the ACC Championship game in abbreviated 2020 season. The teams ended in a draw last season in Chapel Hill, with a 2-2 final in double-overtime.

On Thursday night, though, UNC once again came out on top in the growing rivalry. No. 2 Carolina earned the 2-1 victory on the road at No. 4 Florida State, with the win drawing the Heels into a tie with the Seminoles for first place in the ACC standings.

The game began, however, with Florida State quickly gaining the upper hand. Seminole midfielder Onyi Echegini opened the scoring in the fifth minute, firing a shot past Carolina goalkeeper Emmie Allen. It forecasted a night of heavy offense from Florida State, who became the first team to out-shoot Anson Dorrance’s program so far this season.

After the initial goal, however, Allen prevented any more shots getting past her. The redshirt-freshman recorded three saves during the game.

On the other side of the pitch, the Tar Heels created many chances themselves on offense. A cutting fast-break move and shot from redshirt freshman attacker Ally Sentnor struck a Florida State defender’s arm and earned Carolina a handball penalty in the 32nd minute. Senior Tori Hansen then kicked the ball over Seminoles goalkeeper Cristinia Roque’s head and into the net to tie up the game.

Sentnor’s individual attacking skills were ultimately what created the Tar Heels’ second goal too. After gathering a long pass from the defending third, she dribbled through two defenders and fired a rising, left-footed strike into the upper corner of the goal. The goal was her fourth of the season and her first since mid-September.

It’s too soon to tell whether UNC and Florida State are bound to meet again this season, but the conference tournament is not far away — with the first games slated for Sunday, October 30. In the meantime, the Tar Heels will continue their road trip to end the season, staying in Florida to take on Miami. The penultimate regular season game is slated for 1 p.m. on Sunday, October 23, before Carolina travels to Louisville on Thursday, October 27.

 

Photo via The Daily Tar Heel/Samantha Lewis.

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