By Official Florida FC
Florida State conceded first, trailed at halftime and faced a conference opponent that only had two losses all season. Yet, the Seminoles found a way to remain unbeaten with a 3-2 win over Pitt (12-3-1, 5-2-1) on Thursday night at the Seminole Soccer Complex.
Lauren Flynn scored the third goal of her career with a towering back post header in the 64th minute to equalize. The senior defender once again saved her sole goal of the season for a big moment.
“I don’t get forward that much, so its fun to be up in the box and really happy to have scored,” Flynn said afterward. “I think the effort from the team tonight was great.”
Flynn’s last goal was in the first round of the 2022 NCAA Tournament in a 3-0 win over Florida Gulf Coast.
Jordynn Dudley and Onyi Echegini scored their ninth goal of the season three minutes apart to give Florida State a two-goal advantage.
Florida State head coach Brian Pensky said the Seminoles did a better job of making Pitt adjust to their press and their energy in the second half. Florida State kept its forwards Dudley, Echegini and Beata Olsson higher up the pitch in the second half in an attempt to spur the attack.
It worked. Florida State only had one shot on goal — a lofted header that was comfortably caught by Pitt keeper Ellie Breech in the waning moments — in the first half. The Seminoles took seven second half shots and put three on frame. Breech denied Echegini with a kick save in the 63rd minute. Florida State’s other shots on goal beat Breech.
“We gave up the goal, the first one, on the set piece off the corner. They’re so capable of doing that. They can strike so quick,” said Pitt head coach Randy Waldrum afterward. “Then they got the second one quick, and then all of a sudden you’re fighting to get back in the game.
“They’re not ranked No. 1 in the country for no reason. And we knew it.”
The Seminoles (12-0-1, 7-0-1) can clinch a share of the ACC regular season title with a win at Duke (6-5-3, 2-3-3) on Sunday afternoon in Durham.
