Florida State soccer pulls out 2-1 win in double OT

Florida State’s Jessica Price skillfully out maneuvered three Texas A&M defenders to score a golden goal in the final moments of the second overtime Friday for a dramatic 2-1 win in the third round of the NCAA Tournament.

“It’s an indescribable, amazing feeling,’’ the redshirt sophomore forward said.

With the win, the Seminoles (19-4-1), a No. 1 seed, advances to the NCAA quarterfinals for the fifth straight year and will face Notre Dame next week, almost certainly here in Tallahassee on Friday.  Notre Dame beat the visiting Seminoles in last year’s quarterfinals.

FSU is 18-0-0 at home in the NCAA Tournament, but that streak looked in jeopardy. FSU lost star playmaking midfielder Amanda DaCosta to a knee injury and the defensive-minded Aggies (15-7-3) took a 1-0 early in the second half. Even after FSU senior midfielder Lauren Switzer tied it 10 minutes later, the game seemed headed to a penalty-kick shootout.

FSU coach Mark Krikorian had told his players after regulation and after the first 10-minute overtime that it was only going to take one moment to pull out the win.

“Great players make great plays,’’ he said.

Price proved that with an assist from sophomore forward Tiffany McCarty, who fed her the ball on the right wing. She then patiently weaved across the box, leaving one defender after another behind, and knocked in a shot from about 4 yards out.

“I wasn’t really focused on them, I was just focused on getting my chance on goal and just taking my time and putting it away,’’ said Price, who now has four goals in this year’s tournament and 16 overall.

McCarty was watching, thinking her teammate would shoot sooner only to see her continue to work for a better angle and the game-winner with 2:01 left.

“Oh my gosh, Jess, Jess, Jess,’’ she said. “Then she put it away; I could have passed out. I was so happy.’’

“It was heartbreaking blow because we feel we would have won penalties; we’re a pretty good team in penalty kicks,’’ said A&M coach G Guerrieri. His team beat LSU in the second round on PKs. “The winning goal was a terrific counterattack by them and great individual effort to get into some tough spaces and then to be able to spin our players and a quality finish by Price.’’
 

Florida State quarterback Christian Ponder has successful shoulder surgery

Florida State star quarterback Christian Ponder had successful surgery on his right shoulder Friday, the school said, and should be able to have "limited, non-contact participation in spring football.''

Ponder, who was enjoying a breakout season in his second year as the Seminoles' starter, injured his throwing shoulder in the waning moments of the game at Clemson as he tackled a Tiger defender who was returning an interception.

Florida State track and field athlete Erin Simmons a Rhodes Scholarship finalist

Florida State has another student-athlete on the cusp of winning one of the most prestigious honors -- a Rhodes Scholarship.

Track and field team member Erin Simmons will be in Birmingham, Ala. on Saturday competing as one of the 12 finalists from the southeast. She hopes to follow past Rhodes winners from FSU who student-athletes, Tampa's Garrett Johnson and Myron Rolle. She's just the fourth finalist from FSU (the other was Clearwater's Joe O'Shea, who like Johnson and Rolle, won).

Simmons, win or lose, offers the other face of Florida State athletics, one that is strikingly different from the one that has played out publicly in wake of NCAA violations for an academic misconduct scandal.

Doak Walker Award ballot

For the last several years, I've voted for the Doak Walker Award, which goes to the nation's top running back.

At the top of my ballot is Clemson's C.J. Spiller, who I watched in person amass 312 all-purpose yards against Florida State and who could be in Tampa for the ACC championship game. My ballot ranking the 10 semifinalists was due today and here it is:

1. C.J. Spiller, Clemson
2. Mark Ingram, Alabama
3. Toby Gerhart, Stanford
4. Jonathan Dwyer, Georgia Tech
5. Dion Lewis, Pittsburgh
6. Jacquizz Rodgers, Oregon State
7. Ryan Williams, Virginia Tech
8. Ryan Mathews, Fresno State
9. Ben Tate, Auburn
10. Donald Buckram, UTEP

Tallahassee Democrat's Florida State beat writer dies

Steve Ellis, who had covered Florida State for more than 25 years for the Tallahassee Democrat, died earlier today. He had a heart attack on Nov. 10.

I've known Steve for the last 14 years I've covered FSU and in that time, I marvelled at his dedication, passion and boundless energy for his job and his aggressiveness at pursuing a story. I will miss him as a competitor and as a friend.

Maryland coach Ralph Friedgen talks about Florida State's Mickey Andrews and Bobby Bowden

Maryland coach Ralph Friedgen had some interesting comments on Wednesday about Florida State defensive coordinator Mickey Andrews as well as Florida State coach Bobby Bowden.

On Andrews retiring:
"Whenever you go up against Mickey, you know you’re going to face a very aggressive, very well coached, very well disciplined defense. 
He’s made a tremendous contribution, not only to Florida State but to college football. I think he’ll go down as one of the outstanding assistant coaches in the game. I’d like to say I’d like to continue to compete against him, but in a way I’m happy he’s going. And maybe that’s the biggest tribute I can pay to him."

On the heat on Bowden to retire:

"I'm not surprised, probably disappointed is more my response to it. In this profession, those things happen. It comes with the territory, whether it's right or wrong. Any coach who’s accomplished what coach Bowden has done is going to be legendary. It’s just human nature, when things don’t go as expected, right away they’re looking to place blame on someone and it doesn’t really matter what you did for the last 30 years; they want to know what you did today. That’s sad but that’s how it is.

"The thing about it is, it can change with a win the next day or a good season the next year. Joe Paterno was in a similar situation a couple years ago and they came back and played very well. To me, coach Bowden doesn’t need to apologize to anybody. His record stands by itself and what he has done and what he has meant to college football and to Florida State University. To me, he’s an icon and should be treated as such, but in this business, it’s day to day.''

Florida State defensive coordinator Mickey Andrews brought his toughness as a player to his coaching

Florida State defensive coordinator Mickey Andrews is retiring at the end of the season and Saturday is his final home game. So, it seemed appropriate to look back at what made him so successful and yes, beloved by his players.

Florida State will be without top offensive lineman Rodney Hudson this weekend

Florida State's top offensive lineman, guard Rodney Hudson, will not play this weekend against Maryland, coach Bobby Bowden said during Wednesday morning's ACC teleconference.

Hudson sprained his right knee against Wake Forest. Redshirt junior Brandon Davis filled in for Hudson during the fourth quarter. Offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher said: "Brandon did a good job (against Wake).  … I feel very comfortable with him.''

Ann Bowden says her husband Bobby would like to be back for one more year at Florida State

In a story in USA Today, Ann Bowden says her husband Bobby is planning on one more year as the Florida State coach.

She said: "His quarterback's going to be a senior next year, and (Bowden) wants to be there for his senior year. That's only right. And all those young kids are going to be a year older. ... He's planning on another year."

She then went on the attack and added that if FSU doens't renew his one-year deal, "we don't need the university as much as they need us — as much as they need him and his connections and reputation and everything. If they want to pull that trick, we'll just shake the dirt off our feet and go to Europe or go on a long cruise or something. They'll have to fire him for him not to go another year … If they've got guts enough to do it, let them do it."

Florida State women's soccer star Becky Edwards named an academic all-American

Florida State women's soccer star Becky Edwards, the team captain who's led the Seminoles into the third round of the NCAA Tournament, has been named an ESPN The Magazine academic all-American as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America.

Edwards is the first Seminole women's soccer player to be so honored.