No. 7 Trojans Play to Scoreless Draw at No. 4 Florida State

Friday, August 31

Tallahassee, FL

4:00 PM

USC

3-0-1

Florida State

4-0-1

OT 3

OT 4

USC

Florida State

Photo by: John McGillen

No. 7 Trojans Play to Scoreless Draw at No. 4 Florida State

August 31, 2018 | Women's Soccer, Features

Box Score Box Score Highlights

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – With 12 goals in its first three games, the offense had thus far garnered most of the headlines for the No. 7 USC women's soccer team, but on Friday night in Tallahassee, the Trojan defense stole the show in a hard-fought scoreless draw against No. 4 Florida State.

USC kept the undefeated Seminoles out of the back of the net for 110 minutes to record the team's third shutout of the year and move the Trojans to 3-0-1 on the season.

Both teams had their chances, but neither could convert in a back and forth contest. FSU seemed to have the momentum early and got off a pair of shots in the first 15 minutes, but the Trojans came back and pushed the tempo late in the half. Tara McKeown was in on several of the chances, sending a ball ahead to Natalie Jacobs in the 22nd minutes that was just barely pounced on by the Seminole keeper. McKeown then played a ball forward to Penelope Hocking in the 34th minute, getting Hocking in behind the FSU defense, but her shot towards the near post was saved.

Hocking again had a good look right out of the gates in the second half, but an FSU defender just stepped in front to block her shot. Kaylie Collins came up big in goal for USC in the 58th minute when the Seminoles' Gabby Carle fired a shot from just outside the box and Collins dove to her left to make the stop. Collins would again make a highlight reel save on a ball in the 83rd minute, knocking a ball away from the upper-right corner to help send the game to overtime.

The Trojans tried to end it early in the first OT period, with McKeown getting out on the counter and dribbling into the box where the FSU keeper Brooke Bollinger came out to jump on the ball, but had it bounce away from her. McKeown would collect the ball again, but the Seminole defense recovered and USC couldn't get a shot off. USC again had a dangerous opportunity in the second overtime when Leah Pruitt found Hocking in the box, but her shot was blocked away by a defender. The Seminoles nearly ended the game in the 108th minute when Gloriana Villalobos sent a shot off the crossbar. USC cleared after the chance and the teams would finish with a scoreless stalemate.

NOTABLE

Collins made six saves for her second solo-shutout of the year.
It was the first time Florida State had been shut out at home since Sept. 17 of last year.
FSU had an 18-6 shot advantage.
The teams were tied with five corner kicks each.
Deyna Castellanos had five shots for FSU and Penelope Hocking had four shots for the Trojans.
The teams played in front of a near capacity crowd of 1,756.

UP NEXT
The Trojans stay in the Sunshine State for a matchup with No. 22 Florida on Sunday.


Head Coach @Kmcdane after an intense draw on the road at No. 4 Florida State.#FightOn | #TrUSt pic.twitter.com/uBMLY0ZC8g
— USC Women's Soccer (@USC_WSoccer) September 1, 2018

Hear from @ashplumptre after she helped the Trojan backline keep a clean sheet for 110 minutes tonight!#FightOn | #TrUSt pic.twitter.com/ncV1JpeeYC
— USC Women's Soccer (@USC_WSoccer) September 1, 2018