No. 1 Florida State women's soccer defeats No. 9 Texas A&M 1-0 in season opener
No. 1 Florida State wins 1-0 over No. 9 Texas A&M in season opener
Florida State defeats Texas A&M 1-0 in its season opener to extend its opening day win streak at home to 14 straight. After a defensive battle in the first half followed by many offensive chances for the Seminoles in the second, Florida State finally broke through in the 89th minute thanks to a goal from Clara Robbins.
Florida State finished the match edging out Texas A&M on shots, 14-7, and in shots on goal, 7-0. Florida State created six different corner kick opportunities. Before allowing a goal with under two minutes remaining in the match, Texas A&M goalkeeper Kenna Caldwell recorded an impressive six saves, including one deflection onto the crossbar to prevent a goal early in the second half.
Next up, Texas A&M will continue its season taking on TCU on Sunday. Florida State will also have a matchup on Sunday, taking on Alabama at home.
It took until the 89th minute but the Noles defeat the Aggies on opening day! #OneTribe pic.twitter.com/8FNssOQ6fQ
— FSU Soccer (@FSUSoccer) August 20, 2021
Florida State finds the back of the net, leads 1-0
Clara Robbins broke through with under two minutes remaining in regulation to put the Seminoles up 1-0.
GOOOOOAAAALLL!!!
— FSU Soccer (@FSUSoccer) August 20, 2021
The first Seminoles Goal of the season brought to you by @claraarobbins! pic.twitter.com/qQjY3fd215
Midway through the final half we remain at 0-0
With 15 minutes left in the second half, the score stands at 0-0.
0-0
— Texas A&M Soccer (@AggieSoccer) August 20, 2021
We're at the midway point of the second stanza.#GigEm | 👍 pic.twitter.com/rWaO5XL2MQ
Florida State hits the crossbar twice, ruled no goal
Just five minutes into the first half, Florida State has managed to hit the crossbar twice. At the 48' minute mark, Jenna Nighswonger of Florida State hit the crossbar on a close range shot. Two minutes later, Beata Olsson forced Texas A&M goalkeeper Kenna Caldwell to make a save. Immediately after, the play went under review, and the referee found that the shot from Olsson did not cross the goal line. The initial call of a no goal ruling stands and it is still 0-0 with 33 minutes remaining in the second half.
Tied 0-0 at half after a defensive battle
Through one half, Texas A&M and Florida State remain tied at 0-0. Florida State began creating more chances on offense in the final 15 minutes of the half as they broke down the Aggies defense, but Texas A&M did well to stifle any real chance Florida State had to find the back of the net. The Seminoles now hold the advantage in shots 4-1, with one shot on goal and four total corner kicks. Texas A&M has taken one shot so far.
We are all tied at the half #OneTribe pic.twitter.com/WjnHcMKxZq
— FSU Soccer (@FSUSoccer) August 20, 2021
Florida State, Texas A&M tied at 0-0 halfway through the first
Through 20 minutes in the first half, Florida State and Texas A&M are tied at 0-0. Though the Aggies have managed to create a few opportunities in Florida State's defensive third, the Seminoles have maintained the edge with holding possession. Both teams have recorded one shot, while Florida State has taken four corner kicks.
Officially underway in Tallahassee
Following a rain delay, we are officially underway in Tallahassee.
Here is our starting XI!#OneTribe pic.twitter.com/ARsBCNq9f7
— FSU Soccer (@FSUSoccer) August 19, 2021
Weather delay
After lightning was detected in the area, this game has been put under a weather delay. The new start time is 7:50 p.m. ET.
We are now in a lightning delay. Warm-ups are suspended for 30 minutes from the last strike.
— FSU Soccer (@FSUSoccer) August 19, 2021
No. 1 Florida State takes on No. 9 Texas A&M at 7 p.m. ET to headline the opening day slate
After crowning a champion in May, Division I women's college soccer is officially back. Of the 22 games scheduled for opening day, the biggest matchup is between two top ten teams: No. 1 Florida State vs. No. 9 Texas A&M.
National title runner-up Florida State will take the pitch for its first official game since losing to Santa Clara in a penalty shootout for the national championship. The Seminoles return MAC Hermann Trophy Award winner Jaelin Howell, who is expected to continue to dominate the midfield for Florida State. In additional to Howell, Florida State will also be returning newly minted gold medalist Gabby Carle. Texas A&M on the other hand will look to reigning SEC Freshman of the Year Barbara Olivieri to follow up an impressive first year and continue to provide a boost on offense. On the defensive side, expect Karlina Sample to anchor the backline for the Aggies.
Although the first game of the 2021 season has no win or go home stakes, expect both sides to gauge their performance against a worthy opponent to indicate they may fare this season. Additionally, both sides will look to pick out strengths and weaknesses early on, potentially trying out a variation of lineups.
Here's the schedule for Thursday's game taking place in Tallahassee:
- 7 p.m. ET | No. 1 Florida State vs. No. 9 Texas A&M | Live stats | Stream: WatchESPN
Florida State vs. Texas A&M: How to watch the top-10 game
Women's college soccer is back. Thursday marks the first day of the new season — and there are some big games right away. No. 1 Florida State gets a visit from No. 9 Texas A&M to help start the season.
Here's how you can watch and follow along:
- Time: 7 p.m. ET on Thursday, Aug. 19
- Watch live: ACC Network Extra
- Stats: NCAA/FSU
Preseason rankings
Florida State opened the 2021 season at No. 1 after making it to the national championship last season. Though the Seminoles lost to Santa Clara on penalties, FSU is one of the favorites this year.
Here's a look at the United Soccer Coaches preseason Top 10, with FSU and Texas A&M in bold.
|
RANK |
SCHOOL |
POINTS |
2020 RECORD |
PREV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Florida State (11) | 794 | 13-1-2 | 2 |
| 2 | Santa Clara (18) | 788 | 10-1-1 | 1 |
| 3 | North Carolina (3) | 763 | 18-2-0 | 3 |
| 4 | Virginia (1) | 723 | 14-4-3 | 4 |
| 5 | UCLA | 672 | 13-1-3 | 9 |
| 6 | Duke | 628 | 12-5-4 | 7 |
| 7 | Clemson | 608 | 12-5-2 | 6 |
| 8 | TCU | 587 | 12-2-2 | 5 |
| 9 | Texas A&M | 539 | 12-4-1 | 8 |
| 10 | Penn State | 500 | 12-3-1 | 11 |
5 things to know for the 2021 season
The new season is here — Thursday is Day 1 of all the action. Here are just five of the many storylines we'll be watching as the season gets underway:
- There are 3 current student-athletes who won gold
- There are 22 top 25 matchups on Thursday alone
- There are three ranked vs. ranked showdowns on Thursday
- Players taken in the latest NWSL draft are eligible for one final season before reporting in 2022
- The national championship is back on its normal schedule
Click or tap here for a complete breakdown of these five major storylines.
FSU's Jaelin Howell is back after winning the MAC Hermann trophy
After being named the 2021 MAC Hermann trophy award winner last season, it is safe to say that Jaelin Howell will be a force to be reckoned with. Howell has earned nearly every prestigious award in the sport, so expect her to have a strong presence on both offense and defense as the reigning ACC Midfielder of the Year. After narrowly losing the national championship last season in a penalty kick shootout, don't be surprised to see Jaelin Howell and the Seminoles find their way back to the title game with a chip on their shoulder.
Howell's career statistics
| SEASON | GP | G | A | PTS | SH | SOG | SOG% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-19 | 26 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 24 | 8 | 0.333 |
| 2019-20 | 23 | 5 | 4 | 14 | 35 | 15 | 0.429 |
| 2020-21 | 16 | 5 | 2 | 12 | 23 | 10 | 0.435 |
| TOTALS: | 65 | 11 | 10 | 32 | 82 | 33 | 0.402 |
Howell is one of five players from the preseason top 25 expected to have a big 2021 season.
Florida State vs. Texas A&M: Series history
The Seminoles have dominated the Aggies in the series, going 6-1 into Thursday's eighth meeting. FSU is also 3-0 in NCAA tournament matchups and is 5-0 when at home.
The last meeting five years ago ended in a similar situation. Though the game was in College Station, top-ranked Florida State beat the No. 8 Aggies 1-0 in the first game of the 2016 season. Five years later, No. 1 FSU opens the 2021 season against top-10 Texas A&M.
- 2016: FSU, 1-0
- 2015 (NCAA tournament): FSU, 5-0
- 2015: FSU, 3-1
- 2012 (NCAA tournament): FSU, 4-0
- 2009 (NCAA tournament): FSU, 2-1
- 2000: FSU, 4-1
- 1999: Texas A&M, 2-1
Statistical breakdown
Here's how Florida State and Texas A&M matchup, using last season's stats, ahead of the new season.
| Florida State | 2020-21 Stat | Texas A&M |
|---|---|---|
| 13-1-2 | Record | 12-4-1 |
| Runner-up | NCAA tournament | Quarterfinals |
| 41 | Goals scored | 33 |
| 2.56 | Goals per game | 1.94 |
| 8 | Goals allowed | 15 |
| 0.5 | Goals allowed per game | 0.88 |
| Clara Robbins, 18 points (6 goals, 6 assists) |
Top scorer | Barbara Olivieri, 21 points (8 goals, 5 assists) |
| Cristina Roque 27 saves, 0.48 GA average |
Goalkeeper | Kenna Caldwell 35 saves, 0.89 GA average |