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FSU Soccer focused on back-to-back NCAA championship after ACC tournament win

Florida State celebrates after defeating Stanford in the NCAA college women's soccer tournament final in Cary, N.C., Monday, Dec. 4, 2023. (AP Photo/Ben McKeown)
Ben McKeown/AP
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FR171414 AP
Florida State celebrates after defeating Stanford in the NCAA college women's soccer tournament final in Cary, N.C., Monday, Dec. 4, 2023. (AP Photo/Ben McKeown)

Florida State’s soccer team won its fifth consecutive conference championship, coming out on top of the ACC Tournament Sunday afternoon. Now, the team is gearing up for the NCAA Tournament in their quest to be back-to-back national champions.

The Noles won after hitting two second-half goals to sink No. 8 North Carolina 3-2. Wrianna Hudson scored the final goal to put FSU in the lead.

“Getting that goal and solidifying, ‘Oh, we're up now,’ that was just monumental. And like having us cheer together was just amazing. Nothing else could be better,” she said.

Freshmen players scored all three of FSU’s goals in the game. Head Coach Brian Pensky said during a Tuesday press conference that sustained aggressive and physical play from his younger players will be needed for them to be successful in the tournament.

“Championships are won by women, not little girls, and we'll continue to echo that theme with all of our players,” he said.

Florida State will face Samford on Friday at 5 p.m. in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. It will be a home game.

Tristan Wood is a senior producer and host with WFSU Public Media. A South Florida native and University of Florida graduate, he focuses on state government in the Sunshine State and local panhandle political happenings.