TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Top-seeded Florida State cruised to a 6-0 victory over SWAC champion, Mississippi Valley State Friday night in the first round of the NCAA Women’s Soccer Tournament.    

Five different Seminoles found the back of the net in the opening round victory including Tiffany McCarty who tallied two goals for her third multi-goal game of the season.

Florida State outshot Mississippi Valley State 39-1 for the match as the Seminoles fired 21 shots were on frame.  It marked the most shots record by the Garnet & Gold this year and the most in an NCAA Tournament game in school history surpassing the previous record of 36 set against Jacksonville in 2006. 

Kelsey Wys and Taylor Vancil split time between the posts Friday night in leading the Seminoles to their school record 15th shutout of the season.  Wys picked up the win, her eighth career NCAA Tournament victory, moving her in a tie with Erin McNulty and Ali Mims for the most tournament wins in FSU history.

The Seminoles, who scored three goals in each half, opened the scoring in the 10th minute when Dagny Brynjarsdottir one-timed a shot inside the right post from short distance following a throw-in by Jessica Price and a flick across the box by Kristin Grubka for the double assist.  The goal marked the third in as many games for the Icelandic native as she upped her single-season career-high goal total to eight.

Less than four minutes later, Ines Jaurena blasted a shot that deflected off a Mississippi Valley State defender and inside the right post for her fourth goal of the season. Casey Short picked up an assist on the play as her cross from the left side of the field went untouched to Jaurena just outside the right edge of the 18-yard box.  The French native took one dribble to her left before unleashing a shot for the goal.

McCarty capped the scoring in the first half on a nice move off a through ball from Jamia Fields in the 23rd minute to give the Seminoles a 3-0 lead.  McCarty took the pass and stopped her momentum toward the end line to evade a defender clearing space to her left as she sent a low liner into the back of the net for the first of her two goals on the evening.

The lone shot of the game for the Devilettes came in the first half as Josee Primeau fired wide of the left post from about 15 yards outs in the 41st minute.

Fields tallied the first FSU goal of the second half in the 60th minute as she fired a low-lining shot from the top of the 18-yard box right passed the diving Shelby Willcocks for her second goal of the season.

McCarty followed in the 70th minute with her second goal of the evening taking advantage of a MVSU turnover inside the 18-yard box.  The Laurel, Md., native sent a bending shot from 16 yards out inside the upper right corner for her team leading 12th goal of the season. 

Marta Bakowska-Mathews finished off the scoring Friday night with her first career goal in the 80th minute to give Florida State the winning margin at 6-0.  The sophomore midfielder headed a beautiful cross from Carson Pickett inside the left post from the right side of the 18 for her first goal as a Seminole. 

The lead could have been more for the Seminoles but Mississippi Valley State got a tremendous effort from Willcocks in goal as she finished the evening with 12 saves.  The junior keeper was also the beneficiary of three teams saves including two back-to-back early in the first half on shots by Grubka and Kassey Kallman. 

Kallman finished with a career-high four shots as two went on frame and one more caromed off the crossbar in the second half.  Brynjarsdottir led all players with a career-high nine shots, one off the school record held by Jill Ford, Leah Gallegos and Mami Yamaguchi.  McCarty finished with five shots including four on goal. 

With the win Friday night, Florida State improved to 24-1-0 at home all-time in the NCAA Tournament, while it marked the Seminoles’ 15th consecutive victory inside the Seminole Soccer Complex dating back to last year. FSU moved to a perfect 11-0-0 at home in 2012.

The Seminoles have now won eight straight first round games in the NCAA Tournament, all under head coach Mark Krikorian, and remain unbeaten all-time in the opening round of the tournament improving to 12-0-1. 

Florida State will advance to the second round of the NCAA Tournament and will await the winner of Texas Tech/North Texas which will be played on Saturday, November 10 at 8:00 p.m. ET in Lubbock, Texas.  The Seminoles will host the second and third round games next weekend in Tallahassee as play begins Friday, November 16.  Times for the second round matches have yet to be determined. 

Check back with Seminoles.com for further updates on the 2012 NCAA Women’s Soccer Championship. 

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