Nov. 19, 2006

Box Score |  Quotes

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Second-seeded and fifth-ranked Florida State scored in the 20th minute and was able to hold the third-seeded and 15th-ranked Fighting Illini to just one shot on goal in their NCAA Tournament Round of 16 match, as the Seminoles made their 1-0 lead stand up in front of an FSU postseason-record crowd of 1,206. It is the second-straight year the Illini have been knocked from the tournament by Florida State, falling last year in the second round.

"I'm proud of my team and the way they battled," Illinois head coach Janet Rayfield said. "We came back in the second half and settled down a little bit. We played with some confidence and gave Florida State all they could handle."

In the 14th minute, the 'Noles (17-3-4) put together a scoring chance, but Sel Kuralay had a shot blocked to draw a corner kick, and Sarah Wagenfuhr's shot following the corner was high as the Illini (16-8-0) worked out of a dangerous situation. Just six minutes later, FSU got on the board when Katrin Schmidt served a ball into the box over the head of Emily Zurrer, and Kelly Rowland headed it near post for a 1-0 Seminole lead.

In the 30th minute, following a Zurrer block of a Kuralay blast from 25 yards, Mami Yamaguchi tried to go near post from nine yards out on the right side, but Lindsey Carstens punched it out of bounds with a diving save.

Illinois' offensive chances were limited in the first half, as the Illini registered just one shot in the period. Chichi Nweke made a couple of nice runs down the left flank after entering the game at 17:12, but both times she had the ball knocked away in the box as the game went to halftime with Florida State holding a 1-0 lead.

Less than three minutes into the second half, Ella Masar drew a foul 25 yards out on the left flank. Brittany Garrett served the free kick, which Jackie Santacaterina headed toward the near post, but Kirsten van de Ven was stationed there and she knocked the shot away from the goal, preserving the Seminole lead.

At 54:40, Schmidt took a nifty pass from Yamaguchi at the top of the 18-yard box and sent it toward the net, but Carstens stayed on her line and gathered in the save. In the 59th minute, Masar poked a ball away from the Florida State defense at the left corner of the 18-yard box, and Jessica Bayne retrieved it. Bayne took a touch to get herself free at 15 yards, but her blast went over the net.

In the 79th minute, the Illini drew a corner kick, which Kristy Weeks took. The ball ricocheted past the far post, where Nweke chipped it across the face of the goal mouth. Masar wound up from the left corner of the six-yard box, but her shot was blocked by the mass of Seminole defenders to preserve the 1-0 advantage.

"We thought if we could get a couple of corner kicks then we'd have a chance," Rayfield said. "We did get the chance, we just didn't finish it."

With less than 3:30 remaining, Mary Therese McDonnell poked a ball away from Yamaguchi, when FSU was on a 2-on-2 break, and served a ball long into the offensive third. Seminole keeper Ali Mims came completely out of the 18-yard box and attempted to clear the ball, but her clearance was blocked by Nweke. The ball ricocheted to the right flank, where Garrett sent a shot in that was blocked. Courtney Bell recovered the ball 23 yards out at the top of the box, but her shot was well over the top of the net.

Illinois possessed the ball well in the second half, but was unable to put the shots on frame, finishing with one shot on goal compared to FSU's five. In all, Florida State out-shot the Illini 9-6. Corner kicks were relatively even, with FSU holding a 4-3 edge, and the 'Noles had a 7-4 advantage in fouls.

"Our goal was to limit them to 10 shots and we did that," Rayfield said. "But that wasn't enough in the end. They converted on one, and credit to them, it was a great goal. We didn't give them a goal; they earned that one. We just needed to have one of those ourselves to keep ourselves in this game."

The Illini end the season with a 16-8-0 record, tying the school record for wins and matches played.