No. 15 Florida State struggled to find its rhythm early against No. 25 Georgia, but two late goals helped the Seminoles come away with a 2-1 road win Thursday night in Athens.
Coming off a loss to Florida, FSU entered its first ranked matchup of the season with an opportunity to regroup after an extended break from play.
Florida State’s starting lineup featured Kate Ockene in goal; Jaida McGrew, Tanner Strickland and Claire Rain on the back line; Peyton McGovern, Joelle Jung, Shaneil Buckley, Sam Erbach
and Ashley Henderson in the midfield; and Nyah Rose and Wrianna Hudson up front.
Georgia applied pressure early, forcing FSU to work for opportunities against a Bulldogs defense that sat low around the 18-yard box. The Seminoles continued to push forward through the midfield, with McGovern helping create pressure through the middle.
Play stopped for a hydration break at 22:22, then the break was extended due to a weather delay. Before the delay, Georgia held a 4-3 advantage in shots, with FSU putting one on goal.
When play resumed, Hudson continued putting pressure on Georgia’s defense, but the Bulldogs were the first to find the back of the net.
At 34:55, Emma Petersen scored to give Georgia a 1-0 lead. FSU challenged the call, but it was upheld, and the Seminoles entered halftime trailing by one.
FSU made one change to begin the second half, with Anaiyah Robinson entering the lineup in place of Henderson.
The Seminoles started creating more opportunities as they looked to tie the game. At 57:05 and 58:28, Rose and Strickland recorded back-to-back shots, but Georgia goalkeeper Jordan Brown kept both out of the net.
The game remained physical as FSU continued looking for a way through Georgia’s defense. Buckley helped create space around the box, while Hudson remained active in the Seminoles’ attack.
FSU finally found its answer at 82:47. Ryder Ajeto, with a missed a shot, and then Hudson stepped in and created an opportunity for Erbach to step in and finish the play, tying the game at 1-1 for her second goal of the season.
From there, the Seminoles began to find their rhythm. FSU kept the ball around Georgia’s goal and continued creating chances, including a header from Robinson that went directly to Brown at 85:31.
With time running out, Buckley went down inside the box. There was no call on the field, but FSU challenged the play and was awarded a penalty kick.
Erbach stepped up for the penalty at 89:25 and sent the ball into the bottom-left corner of the net, giving FSU a 2-1 lead. The goal was Erbach’s second of the night and third of the season.
After struggling to find the back of the net for most of the night, the Seminoles took control when it mattered. Georgia finished with 18 shots, putting four on goal, while FSU recorded 16 shots with eight on goal.
Erbach’s two late goals helped FSU come away with its first ranked win of the season and bounce back from its loss to Florida.
Florida State returns home Sunday to host Rice at noon.
