The quest is complete — the Florida State women’s soccer team has won its first national championship in program history.
Senior Jamia Fields broke a scoreless tie in the 83rd minute and the second-ranked Seminoles (24-1-1) survived a late fury from the fourth-ranked Cavaliers (23-3-0) to emerge with a 1-0 victory over Virginia on Sunday afternoon in the finals of the 2014 Women’s College Cup inside FAU Stadium in Boca Raton, Fla.
Cheyna Williams found Fields, who dribbled across the 18-yard box before sending a low-lining left-footed shot from just outside the box past a diving Morgan Stearns and inside the right post for the game’s only goal. Williams, who was credited with an assist on the play, was named the College Cup’s Most Outstanding Player on Offense. The junior forward finished FSU’s postseason run with 13 points on six goals and one assist.
The goal for Fields was her third of the 2014 NCAA Tournament, while seven of her 14 career goals as a Seminole came in the postseason.
The Cavaliers did not go away quietly as they pushed for the equalizer in the final seven minutes. Following their last corner kick of the match, Danielle Colaprico sent a ball into the box that was played out to Morgan Reuther, who blasted a shot from 25 yards that sailed just high. Then with a minute and four seconds left, the final UVa chance came off the head of Veronica Latsko that went high and out of play.
For the sixth time in as many games in the NCAA Tournament, the Seminoles did not allow a goal. On Sunday, Florida State’s defense was even better as they didn’t even allow the Cavaliers to register a shot on frame. FSU joins the 2003 North Carolina Tar Heels as the only two schools to go through six games of the NCAA Tournament without allowing a goal.
And for the third time this year, Florida State was able to hold the nation’s best scoring team without a goal. All three of Virginia’s losses on the year came at the hands of the Seminoles and all three times by identical 1-0 scores. Over the last 87 games UVa has played, the Cavaliers have been shut out five times with all five shutouts coming at the hands of Florida State.
The win for Florida State gives the Seminoles their first national championship in their third trip to the finals. The Garnet and Gold are the 10th different team to capture a women’s national title as three of the last four women’s champions have been first time winners. Florida State is the second team from the Atlantic Coast Conference to claim a national title.
Krikorian also made history on Sunday becoming just the second coach to win a national title at two different divisions as the 10-year head coach previously won back-to-back Division II championships with Franklin Pierce in 1994 and 1995. He joins Brian McManus who led UC San Diego to national titles at both the Division II and Division III levels. Krikorian becomes the first coach to perform the feat at two different schools.
Florida State outshot Virginia 8-7 for the match, while also holding the edge in corner at 7-6. Fields led all players on the afternoon with three shots, while Makenzy Doniak paced the Cavaliers with two shots in 69 minutes of action.
Six Seminoles landed on the College Cup All-Tournament Team as Fields and Williams were joined by Dagny Brynjarsdottir, Kristin Grubka, Cassie Miller and Isabella Schmid.
With the win, Florida State ended the 2014 season with 10 straight wins and a school-record 21-game (20-0-1) unbeaten streak.