The No. 7 Florida State women’s soccer team returned home to the friendly confines of the Seminole Soccer Complex to play their last home game in the month of September. The Seminoles opened Atlantic Coast Conference play on Thursday, shutting down Louisville 2-0.

FSU looked very much like the No. 7 team in the country against the Cardinals. Coach Brian Pensky used almost his entire roster during the match to wear down the Cardinals.

The Seminoles hustled and played their game all night, which is relentless effort on their offensive sets as well as chasing down defenders with great pursuit on defense. Freshman Nyanya Touray stood out as a player that has immense talent when it comes to her dribbling and footwork. She drew lots of oohs and aahs from the home crowd when she was able to get out of trouble a few times with multiple Louisville defenders bearing down on her. Touray seemed like she had a string attached to her foot the whole night and will only get better as the season progresses.

The match started with both teams trading possessions, but Florida State possessed the ball for most of the game. Louisville threatened a few times but never got anything to hit the back of the net. The Cardinals only mustered one shot on goal, making redshirt sophomore goalkeeper Addie Todd’s night an easy one.

The game was scoreless until the 23rd minute. Sophomore forward Wrianna Hudson had a clear path toward the Louisville goal, but as she sprinted into the box Cardinals defender Karsyn Cherry slide-tackled her from behind (which led to Cherry’s ejection). Hudson was awarded a penalty kick, and the sophomore did not disappoint as she drilled her shot to the back of the net to give the Seminoles an early 1-0 lead. FSU maintained the lead at the half and looked to be in firm control.

Yuna McCormack, a junior transfer midfielder from Virginia, has been playing well lately and looks to have a firm grasp of coach Brian Pensky’s system. The second half was stellar for the Seminoles and continued their control of the game, but they only led 1-0 entering the 86th minute. McCormack would change that when junior forward Jordynn Dudley delivered a pass in the box that split two defenders to a streaking McCormack, who scored easily to ice the win.

“Yuna, like all these players, they’re all comfort players,” Pensky said. “The more comfortable, the more confident and I think she’s (Yuna) is getting better and better. She has scored three goals now and each one’s been a pretty nice finish and give her credit for that. She’s very intelligent and very skillful.”

McCormack’s development within the system is a good sign for the Seminoles moving forward, as it gives them another option for scoring to go along with the duo of Dudley and Hudson.

Injury update

Junior defender Mimi Van Zanten appeared to suffer an injury in the first half and did not return. There was no update or timetable for her return, but she was seen walking under her own power to the locker room. Despite losing one of their best defenders, the Seminoles didn’t miss a beat.

Coming up

The Seminoles will now hit the road for three road games in eight days against Syracuse, North Carolina and NC State before returning home on Oct. 3 to play their bitter rivals, Miami. This will be a midseason test for Florida State as they navigate their ACC road trip.

FSU begins its road trip on Sunday, Sept. 14 against Syracuse at 1 p.m.

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