Women’s Soccer Set For Rematch With FSU In College Cup

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — No. 2 quadrant seed North Carolina will face overall No. 1 seed Florida State in the semifinals of the 2022 NCAA Division I Women’s Soccer Championship on Friday, Dec. 2, at 6 p.m. at Wake Med Soccer Park in Cary, N.C.

The Tar Heels are making their 31st overall College Cup appearance, 18 more than the next closest program. UNC has won 21 of the previous 40 national championships, but is searching for its first title since 2012 when they were also a No. 2 seed.

Its the third time North Carolina has reached the College Cup as a No. 2 seed (2012, ’16, ’22).

The Tar Heels earned a spot in the College Cup after they went to South Bend, Ind. this past Saturday and eliminated quadrant No. 1 seed Notre Dame, 2-0. Ally Sentnor and Talia Dellaperuta each scored a goal and North Carolina posted its second clean sheet win of the tournament which began with a 5-0 shutout of Sun Belt Conference winner Old Dominion.

UNC followed its victory over ODU with a 3-1 win over No. 7 seed Georgia and a 3-2 triumph over No. 6 seed BYU.

This is North Carolina’s 11the College Cup appearance since the NCAA Tournament expanded to 64 teams in 2001. UNC was victorious in eight of its last 10 national semifinal matches.

North Carolina is 7-2 in College Cup games played at Wake Med Soccer Park including a 4-1 record in national semifinal games. UNC won the national championship at the venue in 2003, 2006 and 2008.

THE SERIES Vs FLORIDA STATE

• North Carolina leads the all-time series with Florida State, 30-12-5.

• This will be the third meeting of the season between the Tar Heels and Seminoles, who split the first two matches of the year with each recording a 2-1 victory. FSU defeated UNC 2-1 in the 2022 ACC Championship game here on Nov. 6.

• UNC and FSU are squaring off in the College Cup for the second time and first since the Seminoles  defeated the Tar Heels 1-0 in the 2018 national championship game at Wake Med Soccer Park.

• Carolina is 4-5 against Florida State at Wake Med Soccer Park and has lost three straight to the Seminoles at the venue.

LAST TIME WE MET

The Seminoles held Carolina to a season-low seven shots, five by Avery Patterson, and without a corner kick in the ACC Championship game. Patterson scored in the 23rd minute to put UNC up 1-0, but FSU tied it in the 31st minute and then scored the game-winning goal in the 49th minute. UNC goalkeeper Emmie Allen was credited with four saves.

STREAKS & TRENDS

• Avery Patterson’s five assists…