SET PIECE SINKS THE GATORS

The Seminoles earned their first NCAA Final Four berth with a statement win on November 28, 2003, as FSU defeated Florida on the road, 2-1. The Noles controlled the match from the opening whistle, bottling up the Gator attack and turning dead-ball chances into momentum. D Katie Beal’s service set up the breakthrough, and another set-piece sequence helped build a 2-0 cushion before Florida scored late to tighten the game. Even then, FSU stayed composed, closing out a rivalry win that sent the program to its first College Cup. Head coach Patrick Baker called it “another defining moment for our program,” adding, “I am just very proud of the effort tonight.”