After an early elimination from the SEC tournament, Vanderbilt Soccer earned an at-large bid to the 2024 NCAA Championship Tournament on Nov. 11. Four days later, under the lights of the Plex, the Commodores hosted crosstown rival Lipscomb, and they dominated. A 4-1 win over the Bison propelled Vanderbilt to the Round of 32, where it will face the No. 1 overall seed in Florida State — a team also looking to defend its title as national champion. Vanderbilt head coach Darren Ambrose spoke about what the matchup means for his team and his program.
“The irony of [this matchup] is [Florida State] is where I had my first women’s [soccer] Division I job,” Ambrose said. “So going back to where my old office is will be cool for me.”
While this is a reunion for Ambrose, who has only visited Florida State’s campus once since his tenure from 1999-2000, it’s strictly business for his Commodores. Vanderbilt is heading into a matchup against a Seminole squad fresh off their fifth straight ACC championship. To say this is Vanderbilt’s biggest test of the year is an understatement: it’s going to take a perfect plan to defy the odds.
FSU by the numbers
Florida State has established itself as the best program in women’s soccer over the last 10 years (and likely well beyond). The Seminoles have won six of the last seven ACC Championships and five in a row. They also hold four national championships, with three coming in the past six years. Head coach Brian Pensky assumed his position at Florida State in 2022 after former coach Mark Krikorian suddenly resigned after 17 seasons and his third national championship run. Pensky — who had spent a decade at the University of Tennessee — was adopting a national championship team off the heels of his 2021 SEC Coach of the Year honors. Pensky has continued to make FSU a perennial championship contender, holding a 54-5-7 record so far with the Seminoles including an undefeated season in 2023.
This season, the Seminoles sport a record of 15-2-3, including an active 9-game winning streak, their last loss coming against Virginia Tech on Oct. 6. Their last bout — an 8-0 victory against Samford in the first round of the NCAA Tournament — saw seven different Seminoles find the back of the net, with two others recording at least one point on the night. Florida State’s offensive firepower in the Round of 64 wasn’t a one-time thing either, as it leads the ACC in goals (67) and shots (405) this season, including scoring 10 goals in a single match against North Florida. The team isn’t only dominant on the offensive end; their defense is elite as well. Florida State has recorded 10 clean sheets on the season, four of which came in conference play.
On Friday, the Commodores will enter the Seminole Soccer Complex, which has yet to experience a Florida State loss this season (9-0-1 at home in 2024), to face a team they have yet to score a goal on in history (outscored 4-0 in two matchups all-time). With the odds stacked against them, there are a few points of emphasis that can improve their chances of staying alive this season.
Defensive focus
Florida State’s offense is incredibly patient. North Carolina parked the bus defensively in their ACC Championship game, but that did not phase the Seminoles. Instead of ramping up the Tar Heels, Florida State waited for its offense to develop and capitalized when the Tar Heels made a mistake. Though the Seminoles still tended to force the occasional through ball, most of the offense revolved around spacing the defense out and attacking the weak zones in the midfield on the sides.
Vanderbilt’s defense is intense. It will give into the scramble, force ball handlers off the ball and intercept any pass in the midfield. Players like Ella Eggleston and Courtney Jones live on applying pressure up front and using their athleticism to create counterattack opportunities. That might not work against Florida State; its offense is just too poised to be rattled by sheer intensity.
Vanderbilt won’t give up its intensity; it’s a staple of the program’s culture. But that intensity needs to be paired with focus. All 10 players on the field need to monitor their surroundings and prevent the big play. The Commodores can’t lose their structure when they’re backed up into their defensive zone because that’s when Florida State strikes and scores. The Seminoles don’t need to win the possession battle, as their efficiency dominates games. It’s on Vanderbilt to prevent the Seminoles from getting those chances to convert.
Manufacture goals
While Florida State has excellent goalkeeping, many of its clean sheets this season can be attributed to its ferocious backline. Two of the three starting Seminole defenders — Heather Gilchrist and Mimi Van Zanten — were named to the All-ACC Third Team this season, and it’s for good reason. They win every 50/50 ball. Whether it’s a loose ball, cross or through ball, one of the three in the back line has it at their feet. This isn’t great news for Vanderbilt, whose offense is designed to utilize through balls and crosses to its advantage.
Vanderbilt, like Florida State, loves to use the opposing defense’s mistakes to create opportunities to score. Florida State’s defense, however, rarely makes mistakes. This means Vanderbilt will have to manufacture goals by making the most of possessions and finding an open shot. The good news for the Black and Gold is that they’ve been on fire from outside the 18-yard box. Maci Teater had a beautiful goal in the match against Lipscomb while Caroline Betts and Sydney Watts are known to fire from distance occasionally. Ambrose said in his post-game presser that he has confidence in his midfield’s shooting, which is exactly what he’ll need if the Commodores want to reach the Sweet Sixteen.
The No. 8 Vanderbilt Commodores will face the No. 1 Florida State Seminoles in Tallahassee, Florida, on Nov. 22 at 4:30 p.m. CST.
