December 2, 2022 / Streaming on ESPNU
WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, NC
University of North Carolina (19-4-1) vs. Florida State University (17-2-3)
For the third time this season, the North Carolina Tar Heels and the Florida State Seminoles are set to go head to head in a high stakes match. With each team having beaten the other once this season, UNC beating FSU first on October 20th and then FSU beating UNC most recently on November 6th, both teams are looking to beat out their fellow ACC team on the stage where many argue it counts the most. However, with the starting firepower both teams possess and the depth on their benches, it’s going to be a tough battle.
Frequent Fighting
With both teams competing in the Atlantic Coast Conference, the Tar Heels and the Seminoles are no strangers to one another.
On October 20th, UNC became the first and only team to beat FSU at their home Seminole Soccer Complex in a 2-1 win. While Onyi Echegini opened the scoring for FSU in the fifth minute, a handball penalty on the Seminoles led to Tori Hansen slotting in a penalty followed by a game-winning goal from Ally Sentnor to put the Tar Heels on top. Florida State answered this loss with a win of their own against North Carolina to win the ACC Championship on November 2nd with a 2-1 win. Avery Patterson scored first for UNC in the 23rd minute, but FSU quickly answered with a goal by Jenna Nighswonger in the 31st minute and another one by Jody Brown in the 49th.
College Cup History
Just like they aren’t strangers to each other, neither of these teams are strangers to competing on this big stage.
Originally starting in 1982, the College Cup has taken place 40 times prior to this year. Of these 40 editions of the tournament, the Tar Heels have previously competed 30 times and will make their 31st appearance to further solidify their lead of most tournament appearances. Of those 30 former appearances, UNC has won 21 of the titles they’ve contested. Twelve of those titles came between 1982 and 1994 when the Tar Heels went on a winning streak, losing only in 1985 to the George Mason Patriots. Despite such a strong history, the Tar Heels have not won a College Cup since 2012 when they beat Penn State 4 to 1.
While a history of winning creates expectation, the Tar Heels are facing a team looking to build a history of their own. Having made 13 appearances at the tournament, Florida State holds three titles of their own (2014, 2018, 2021) and have had multiple second place finishes. Thanks to their 2021 win over Brigham Young University on penalty kicks, FSU are currently the College Cup defending champions. Though it wasn’t their shots that secured their hard fought win, but the work of then sophomore goalkeeper Cristina Roque.
Category Is: Goalkeepers
With a career record of 39-1-9, Cristina Roque is a force of nature. After losing the 2020 College Cup final to Santa Clara on penalties, the Puerto Rico National Team goalkeeper came back big to make two saves against BYU in the 2021 final. The now junior is 12-1-3 with 57 saves on the season and was named the 2022 ACC Goalkeeper of the Year, with the only loss in her college career coming in that October 20th game against UNC. She also set a current career high with 10 saves against the University of Virginia earlier this season. In the 4,556 minutes she has played for the Seminoles, Roque has made 115 saves and only allowed 30 goals against.
Across the pitch, UNC has a brick wall of their own with redshirt freshman Emmie Allen in goal. Standing at 18-3-1 for the 2022 season, the North Carolina Courage Academy product has made 53 saves with only 12 goals against. At the start of November, Allen faced her first ever collegiate penalty shootout in which she walked away with two saves and a team win over the Duke University Blue Devils.
What it All Comes Down to
With both teams brimming with talent from various youth and senior national team set ups, this is one match that won’t be lacking in excitement. As top goal scorers Avery Patterson (11 goals on the season) and Onyi Echegini (10 goals on the season) face the likes of Roque and Allen one last time in 2022, it’s sure to be a showdown.
If you want a look at the future of women’s soccer make sure to tune in at 6:00 pm ET on ESPNU.