BECOMING ELITE

Twenty-two seconds from a shootout, No. 6 FSU punched through to their first NCAA Elite Eight by defeating No. 9 West Virginia 3-2 in double overtime. After the Seminoles surged ahead early, the Mountaineers battled back to force extra time, setting the stage for a frantic finish. A late sequence sparked by D Katie Beal’s hustle and M Jez Ratliff’s touch put the ball at F Leah Gallegos’ feet, and the sophomore delivered the 110th-minute golden goal that pushed the Noles into the quarterfinals for the first time in program history. “The only reason that goal is special to me is because it sends us into the Elite Eight,” Gallegos said. “That is so much more important than a record.”